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Joan, I just read your beautifully written comments re: your mother and her nursing home experience as well as end stage Parkinsons. (My mother passed in January 2001 after 3 1/2 years in a nursing home, with dementia/stroke. I have PD. I explain this to help you to put into context my statements that follow.) Are you also a member of the Caregivers list that Camilla Flinterman "owns"? This list was started several (many) years ago because some of the PD patients on the Parkinsn list were uncomfortable with the "conversations" regarding end stage of Parkinsons Disease, death and the issues surrounding care for end stage patients. I mention this, because there is a forum accessible to all on line to discuss the problems and issues of a family coping with the emotions of losing a family member, whether that is to dementia, disease, or death. For many newcomers and those in the early-mid stages of Parkinsons, the need to know the grief our families will share is put aside as we deal with the ramifications of Parkinsons in our own lives. We don't really worry about what will be on our own death certificates. On the other hand......I have spent years dealing with the difficult staffing problems in nursing homes. I do think there is an urgent need for us to discuss this "side issue" of in home care....skilled nursing care....and institutional living.......and liveable wage for those who are providing such added benefits in our lives. We had both positive and negative nursing experiences with our mother's care and support. We have cared for chronically ill family members in the home. We have cared for acutely ill family members through months long hospitalizations. In each experience, the need/access to skilled care and the shortages in staffing were a major issue......whether or not Parkinsons disease was a part of the picture. Perhaps if we funneled more of our energy advocating for ourselves(families and patients) and others(health care providers) in a productive way to help support the process of death........as well as the process of living each day.......we could help to ease the transitions in our lives. Rita Weeks 57/12 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn