>In my case it goes the other way around. My mother keeps doing stuff that lands her in emergency, and I have to go and sit with her. I don't actually do any good there other than keeping her company, but I guess for her, it's enough.

Yeah, I've those, too. Got a call from my Dad one morning that he was taking Mom to the ER for pain in her arm that they were afraid was heart-related. I caught up with them eventually. Turned out to be disc stuff in the neck.

We have both my parents and Marshal's pretty much within shouting distance and all approaching 80. I'm sure we'll have more of this coming up.

Tamar