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Thank you all for your responses. Today I met my mother's neurologist who said he does not generally use the categories. I think I am beginning to understand why. They are somewhat variable and also now that my mother is advanced, that is pretty much enough to know. He said he talks in terms of early, middle advanced. It was her regular family physician who started our week from H- by anouncing that she believed my mother has 6 wks to a yr to live and also that we should meet with her and tell her that (by the way, neurologist says that he thinks we cannot predict this, and anyways we are not meeting with this doctor for our own reasons). well, in the meantime, she pushed so quickly to have her sent to a "nursing home" and this became a huge mess. the place was awful, something that should be closed down. we have a list of complaints most of which are completely unexcusable. Uncleanliness, neglect, lack of healthy ways of dealing with basics such as changing a diaper, medications given at all different times, etc etc. well, it took a week, but now we have her on a trial basis at a very small board and care home. The woman in charge is taking her because she cares and wants to try and help, although she is very honest that my mom may require more care than she can provide. she is probably going to hire an extra person for at night just for my mother. it will be costly, but as far as we can tell it would cost 3 times as much to have 24 hr. care at home. now that i am back and read the descriptions of the stages of pd i can see that she is in fact in the most advanced stages. it feels like there was no forwarning it all happened so quickly. In a few weeks we are going to see Dr. Cheryl Waters at USC and i crave the outside (of Kaiser) specialist input. She really has never had much. She is so frightened and unhappy and that is what makes it so difficult. Margaret, thank you so much for your note. I cannot believe what wonderful people are on this listserv, that complete strangers are out there thinking about each other and helping each other. I will write or call the places you wrote and see if more input helps. I do talk to someone, for my Self, however that is different. I feel such a need to do something. Alan, I didn't get a chance to call COPS, however ironically someone had also referred my father to them, so I will definitely be calling them. I spent most of the time trying to help my father, who is a nervous wreck, my brother who is depressed, my mother the patient who is scared, sad and one helluva trooper for getting thru this last week, and finally myself, who is well, you know. and then there was all that time on hold listening to hospital recordings, trying to get pieces of paper here or there, doctors to talk to us, etc. sorry for the length here, I wish i could help everyone somehow. I sent lots of letters re. udall and info to lots of people many of whom were very supportive. debbie, [log in to unmask]