I want to second Ginger's remark about hospice. My mother in-law was in hospice the last ten days of her life but I really wish it had been the last six months. We felt supported as a family team and frankly I benefitted because I was more able to connect with her emotionally when I wasn't run off my feet with practical things. I think this was true for her son, my husband, too. He'd been there for every hospitalization and it was a huge relief to stay put at home. She died when he was in the room with her doing a crossword puzzle--an interest they shared.