For Immediate Release
Sept. 15, 2004
Contact: Dave Blanchard at AADD,
Phone: 404-881-9777, ext. 215
For interview contact information please contact Dave Blanchard

As U.S. Demographics Age, Some Individuals are “Afraid to Die”

People with developmental disabilities and those caring for them face compounded challenges of the disability and the issues surrounding aging, a dilemma in which we find ourselves unprepared.

For four decades, Ruth and Randy Rigsby, of Camilla, Georgia, have painstakingly cared for their next-to-youngest son, Tim. Born with a long list of physical and developmental disabilities – including deafness, severe mental retardation, and physical handicaps – Tim requires extensive support and nurturing. The Rigsbys have structured their schedule around caring for him since his birth, down to tiny details like alternating attending church so that one parent is always available.

But, in their elder years, Ruth, 78, and Randy, 79, are finding it increasingly difficult to care for their son, who recently marked his 40th birthday. Randy, who has worked as a farmer throughout his life, suffers from increasing back problems, while Ruth has heart trouble and lung disease. And with a lack of government support, resources, and funding available to help, the Rigsbys have spent many sleepless nights worried about who will take over their parental duties once they are no longer around.

“There are nights when I’m sick, when I’ve had a spell with my heart, and I don’t think I can look after him, but I have to do it – I don’t have a choice,” Ruth says. “It’s always been my prayer that I would live one minute longer than Tim, so then I would know he was taken care of.”

For thousands of individuals around Georgia and the nation, the Rigsbys’ dilemma hits home. As the nation ages at a rapid rate – in just a few years, an estimated 20 percent of the U.S. population will be over the age of 65 – individuals with developmental disabilities and the people caring for them face a two-fold challenge: the disability, as well as the inherent concerns surrounding aging. The struggle lies not only with the caregivers, but also with the individuals with disabilities themselves as they move into later life stages.

Unfortunately, this two-pronged issue is one that continues to be overlooked by many – which is why the efforts of a few select nonprofit organizations, state agencies, and a couple of state legislators are often the only hope for people like the Rigsbys.

The Atlanta Alliance on Developmental Disabilities has taken a proactive and crucial role in providing help through the Georgia Aging and Developmental Disabilities Coalition and a unique initiative called Aging for All. A grassroots coalition working to help enact legislation to allocate funding, support and resources for hundreds of individuals, the Aging for All committee works closely with Georgia State Senator Sam Zamarripa, who has pledged to move forward despite a recent announcement from the Senate President that funding is unavailable for additional study committees for the remainder of the year. (More information about the efforts of this coalition is available at www.agingforall.com.)

This initiative was begun with the passage of Senate Resolution 822, which called for the study committee to examine current barriers in the existing system that prevent transition through the stages of life for aging persons and persons with developmental disabilities.

“These are people who are afraid to die,” says Zamarripa, whose sister, Jane, has Down Syndrome. “They live in fear of their own death because they don’t know what’s gong to happen to their own son or daughter.

“The government has a responsibility to take care of people who can not take care of themselves,” he continues. “It’s fundamental. There’s no partisanship in that. We have a responsibility not to turn our back on these individuals, and to not see the importance of that is to miss a very important issue.”

With the help of Zamarripa, the Georgia Aging and Developmental Disabilities Coalition has scheduled a symposium on Nov. 18 to take place at the Loudermilk Center in Atlanta Georgia to address the growing issues of aging and developmental disabilities. For more information, contact AADD at 404-881-9777 ext 215.
 

For interview contact information please contact Dave Blanchard at dave@aadd.org or at 404-881-9777 ext 215.