People need to remember, it wasn't only disabilities or abuse that caused death, there was also TB, polio, german measels, measels, etc. most of this diseases have been all but eradicated in our country now, but were very prevalent back then. Some disabled folks also have natrally lower immune system responses too.

From the build of the object (lightweight, no excess webbing) it may well have been a shower chair (easier to perform peri-care as well).

I have to say, although the posts are old, I do applaud many of the post(ers). As a parent of a developmentally disabled child, and an employee of a MR/DD group home, I have to agree with many of the posts. However, do not think that the government or social security administration of any other governmental/charitable organization helps all families with physically disabled children...my son is now 15 years old, almost as tall as I am 5'5", over 120 pounds, and can be as stiff as a board when I lift him (yes, I did say lift him / no hoyer or sara lifts in my house, unfortunately they cost $$$), because even in this day and age, families are expected to be self-reliant. All the touchy-feely groups out there who claim to help, aren't any help at all unless you drug the he** out of your kid (mental issues?), or you are already on welfare. For working families with no desire to live off the dole, even a little help means a huge difference. I'm right now just trying to get my insurance company to pay for an upgraded seating system for my son's wheelchair (he's been too large for it for over 2 years now, and he's still growing). When these institutions were closed down, the funding they received was supposed to be ear-marked for families caring for their loved-ones rather than dumping them in a home, school, etc ( gee-the government isn't using the money for what they claimed it was for? Boy, that has never happened before!). Imagine....filling out paperwork for a grant, begging for money which other people are also begging for....the treatment of the disabled and their families by society still isn't what it should be. Don't judge the former resident's families too harshly, they did only what they could at the time (no grant money then).