Estate Planning Vault

Handicapped Adults Are Outliving Their Parents

Due to advances in medical care, for the first time, developmentally disabled and handicapped adults are outliving their parents, who were most likely their primary caregivers. In many cases, the death of a parent shifts the responsibility of caregiving to a sibling who is likely taking care of his/her own family.

According to Mary Yoder, Director of the Atlanta Alliance on Developmental Disabilities (AADD), growth in the number of “caretaker siblings” is of great concern since the availability of programs providing financial or emotional support is limited. Alan Factor, a Specialist in Aging with Disabilities at the University of Illinois in Chicago, estimates by 2030 there will be 1.2 million developmentally disabled over age 60.

Source: www.AJC.com, 11-20-06