It's early in the morning of August 7th, 2002 and the phone's ringing drags me back from somewhere else.
"Bill, this is Cheryl at Chancellor Place." "Your mom is mottling and you need to get here soon if you want to be with her."

Thirty minutes later, my wife Ellen and I arrive in mom's room to find many of her caregivers gathered around her. They have taken turns sitting with her all night. A round of hugs and it's now our time to sit beside her as her breathing slows, becomes increasingly erratic and finally stops.

Her passing brings to a close the eight year journey she, we and her increasing dementia shared. In the pages that follow we detail the strategies we used to help mom maintain her independence for as long as possible.