Delivery of services in rural settings to the elderly mentally retarded-mentally ill.

A number of controversial arguments exist regarding the ability of sparsely populated areas to adequately provide for their elderly mentally retarded; the elements of distance, education, and capital are said to effectively obstruct access to psychiatric and social support. Yet several facts speak soundly for the necessity to overcome these obstacles: a five-fold increase in the life spans of the mentally retarded in recent decades, and the amply demonstrated reality that individuals with mental retardation are nearly twice as likely as the general population to develop severe behavioral disorders. This article examines both the methods and the reasons for ensuring that rural populations of elderly mentally retarded citizens receive modern psychiatric assistance and community support.