"The daughter pulled her mom out of the hospital in the middle of several medication changes, which is a terrible way to transition an elder, " especially when the facility doesn't offer round-the-clock care, says Ms. Fleming-Caruso.

WSJ: Family Value: Can Dad Still Live Alone?

Although she hasn't enjoyed the same tight bond or round-the-clock access to Obama that her predecessor, Condoleezza Rice, had with President George W. Bush, Clinton has found a credible partnership and trust with the president, forged at their weekly one-on-one meetings and built on their similar mix of a pragmatic view of 21st century American leadership coupled with a stubborn streak of idealism.

CNN: Can Clinton remake U.S. diplomacy?