A 22 year old woman with FAS (fetal alcohol syndrome) found tortured and murdered by her care givers highlights the need for respite care and more state oversight of the disabled.
Let me take on care first. It is common knowledge that taking care of someone with a disability is stressful. Some may feel that if someone else is willing to take on the burden it is better for them. If you know someone willing to take care of your disabled loved one you should check them out thoroughly, not only that but if you do not live in the home check on them frequently. In some states it is possible for families to get respite care. That is someone who will come and help you with the care of your special needs child, or parent. This is necessary because care giver burnout is very common. If the father of this woman had been offered this care maybe he would have been willing to seek custody of his daughter instead of leaving her to die.
As to the subject of more state intervention. If any person is collecting state and or federal dollars on behalf of someone who is elderly or disabled they need to be visited by a social worker. The disabled did not fight to escape abusive and horrific institutions so that we could live with money hungry abusive thieves. What happened to this woman is horrific, it should not be allowed to happens again.
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