What should I look for during the last 6 months of an elderly parent's life?

The night before my husband died, he ate wonderful dinner of crab cakes, mashed potatoes with cream gravy, red cabbage and blueberry blintzes for dessert. He laughed and watched Jay Leno, drank coffee and went to bed/ Next morning around 10:20 he pressed my hand against his chest (heart). Breathing seemed a little strained, so I called 911 for extra O2. I wish that I had not. He died at 1:45 p.m. in the ER....
We do not know the day nor the hour.

What if the wife of a patient is too weak to care for him at home?? can he get inpatient hospice?? what if he is in a ALZHEIMERS facility, must we still pay for room and board if on hospice??

There really isn't any way to know a time line. If there's been a diaganosis of some kind, don't wait to get help from hospice. They can help up to six months prior to "death predictions" and can make the last weeks/months so much better for everybody involved. In fact, on occasion, patients have improved so much from hospice support, they get taken off hospice. It really is about quality of life...not death. Last recommendation...hold hands when you visit. They can feel so alone and afraid.

Here's the best desc of stages 6 and 7 of Alzheimer's...lasts much longer than I'd assumed. Mom is end stage 6.
http://www.alzinfo.org/clinical-stages-of-alzheimers-disease_page2.asp#6

How do you know that they have six months to live? You are just guessing as we all do. You are here one day and gone the next. My suggestion is the same as it is for everyone: Enjoy each day to the fullest as if it is your last!

Maybe you can ask her doctor next time you visit...I've often wondered the same thing myself. With Alzheimer's, though, there may not be a definite way to tell. You can also check online for an alzheimer's association to get some more info about the last stage of the illness. Best of luck to you.

nobody knows whats going to happen from tmr to the next 6 mos . hope it all be good . my pa s been here almost 2 yrs now and he has good days and bad days so i never know whats gonna happen tmr or here in a lit bit .
i watch pa go downhill very slowly , poor guy , i feel so bad for him . last summer he s walkin and thenbam last fall he quit walkin .
just hope and pray that it all be good from now to 6 mos ....
myhusband is only 53 we didnt expect him to have an open heart operations . suprise what tmr brings ya ...