Mum just called: her best friend from teachers' college in 1949, who is exactly the same age - to the day - is now in aged care and suffering from dementia. She doesn't recognise any of her children and is rarely up out of bed. That's no life for anyone. Understandably, my mother is very sad. They used to exchange birthday cards, did so from 1949 all the way through to 2014 when Joy was put into the nursing home. They consoled each other in writing & over the phone on hearing of the respective deaths of each others husbands. A great friendship ripped apart by dementia. So very sad.