Norma was seventy-six years old when admitted to hospice for general debility. Norma is forward and feisty; she loves her Coke and ice cream, is adamant about keeping her toenails and fingernails painted, and proclaims, âI love being around people.â About four months after Normaâs enrollment in hospice her condition declined; she required twenty-four hour care and was not able to return to her daughter, Essieâs home. Like many couples today, Essie and her husband both had to work just to keep their heads above water. I called Essie a few days after Normaâs transfer from our hospice center to the nursing home and asked,â How did the move go?â and Essie replied, âMom seems to be doing alright with it, but Iâm not doing too good with it. When I was fourteen I promised mom that I wouldnât put her in a nursing home.â