Often, family members become the caregivers

Tom Joyce

Jun. 24, 2009 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- --Related: Coroner identifies brother, sister in murder-suicide

Greg Knox, executive director of advocacy group Arc of York County, said it's not unusual for family members to end up taking care of mentally challenged adults.

His organization estimates that 60 percent of people with mental disabilities nationwide end up in the care of relatives. Nor is it unusual for those family members to find their jobs as caregivers to be stressful -- particularly if they're on their own.

"They get burned out, and that makes it difficult for them to be healthy and take care of themselves, too," Knox said.

On Tuesday afternoon, Knox had just learned of the murder-suicide in York Township earlier that day and could not comment on that specific case. But he said that siblings will frequently take care of mentally challenged people when their parents become too old for the task.

He said caregivers who feel overwhelmed can seek out resources in their communities such as support groups.

Steve Suroviec, executive director of the Arc of Pennsylvania, said caregivers can contact their county offices of Mental Health and Mental Retardation to see what "respite care" services are available. Those can include anything from a helper who comes around to the house, to centers where the mentally challenged adults can go one night a week and give their caregivers a break.

Although, most of those programs now have long

waiting lists, and proposed cuts in state funding don't make the future look promising, Suroviec said.

"It's a good thing when families take care of their loved ones," he said. "But it becomes stressful and they need help."

Suroviec also emphasized that no matter how stressed a caregiver becomes, that doesn't justify a killing such as Kathy Stoner's.

"She was a human being, and she had a right to live," Suroviec said.

tjoyce@ydr.com; 771-2089

RESOURCES

York/Adams Mental Health/Mental Retardation Program

--771-9618

--1-800-441-2025, ext. 9618

The Arc of York County

--846-6589

Newstex ID: 35970734