JAM,
My mother is doing well considering she has been leaving Dad only to be with her brother in hospice throughout this (we buried her brother on Sat.)
She and I have our own issues so we found it easier to do 3 days on and off, we meet to pass on info and show each other new skills and then whoever is leaving runs as fast as they can out the door! We update each other on the phone twice a day.
It's my fault really but I realized in the beginning that I couldn't handle them both..his needs and her emotions, a feeling I think has become mutual.
She's always happy to see me come and 3-4 days later ready to take over so it has worked out well. She is exhausted, that I know.
I can't imagine the caregivers who are full time alone.
When I am off, I do miss him though.