does anyone have guidance on survival skills for living with hychondriacs / depressants -- especially as they age?

Picture a situation where an mention of the "C" word has a person on their death bed, and their partner  planning their funerals.  where if someone has xyz it has to be a severe xyz, and you hear great details about it.  That in some ways, it is better to have a severe xyz, cause if it was minor then they would have been making details.