My mother is in her mid nineties and in the very late stages of alzheimers. She has been in a care home for almost 6 years. Her worst fear was to end up with dementia. In the earlier stages she would ask us to give her something to kill her and we would try and reassure her that things would get better and she would not always feel so down, despite not really being convinced of this ourselves. She enjoyed having visitors but then Covid arrived and she did go downhill. She is now bedbound, skin and bone and sleeps most of the time. Her speech is very limited and mostly unintelligible. During the one hour visits she barely stirs, her eyes never open more than a slit, she does not know who anyone is. She is well cared for but her quality of life is non existent. It is a living death. I know that she would want to just pass away in her sleep but despite her frailty her heart carries on beating and she has to endure this existence. The staff say that she is happy! Sometimes she cries out. She is bewildered and who knows what is happening in her mind. I wish that this would all end but I feel guilty for thinking like that, but I know that she would want the same. I don't know what keeps some elderly people going when they have reached the end of their life and all that is left is to lie in a bed day in day out with no purpose other than waiting for your heart to stop and give you peace. When I visit I come away thinking that I do not want to go again which causes more guilt. I don't thing she even knows that I am there. Is there really any point anymore. It is like having a final viewing over and over again. I just can't face visiting anymore. Reading this back somehow sounds cold hearted, but it is reality and honest.