What would you do?

I was at a long term care facility yesterday and doing some business.  I noticed a person who looked a lot younger than the rest of the residents laying in a bed.  I have a very good relationship with the lodge manager and asked what the story was.  The manager told me how the person had been 42, parent, very involved in their children's lives, very involved in the community and church and then they started to getting depressed.  IT got worse and worse and so they were admitted to a psych unit in a large hospital.  While there they were in a counselling session and then excused themselves and went to their room and hung themselves.  They were discovered and cut down, however the damage was done and there is sever brain injury and now they are in a vegetative state.  They have been like this for 9 years now.  So my question relates to the spouse left.  The spouse has attempted to date other people and move on with life however they feel that they are in limbo because their spouse is still alive.  Would you move on or would you feel tied to your spouse because technically they are still alive?  How sad for the children left as well.  It is just an absolute unfortunate circumstance.  I honestly don't know what I would do.