Right well, here's the bit: at least where we're from, if you've a loved one who's mentally ill, the options are limited. If you're well-off, you've got nurses that may be hired or group homes you might look into, but if you're either poor or not-choosy, you'll more than likely end up in a public asylum, which is straight-up hell on Earth. Poor sanitation, no recourse for education or treatment; it's a right mess.
All that said, Rochester had options. He chose to hide his wife because he was ashamed of her, firstly, and there was an undertone of "well, she's not British, therefore being mad is her birthright" that was terribly gross as well.