or anyone: Explaining 'Loss' during the holidays

[Guest guest]

My mom is very close to my 18-yr old daughter with autism - and my

daughter absolutely adores her right back! That's the good news.

The bad news is my mom is 79, had a stroke last year, and is in ok but

tenuous health. Here's my question -- and this is for or any of

you who have dealt with this already with your son or daughter -- What

can I be doing NOW, while Mom is still here, to help prepare for

the day when she WON'T be here, especially around the holidays as my

Mom is such an integral part of this time of year?

Also, how do you explain death or serious illness in concrete terms to

an adult child with a DD? She is VERY concrete (i.e. only seems to

understand what is tangible, nothing very abstract like God or

heaven.) I've thought about telling her that her grandmother will be

living up in the clouds, or with the stars, because these are things

she can see?

I guess that was really TWO questions...sneaky, huh?

Laurie