If you’ve hired hospice professionals (healthcare providers for people nearing the end of life), they can help make your loved one’s last months, weeks, and days as comfortable as possible. They can also support you as you go through this difficult time.
This article will discuss 12 signs that a person is nearing the end of their life. It also suggests ways you can help your loved one cope with the final stages.
Fortunately, there are many medicines that can effectively manage pain. Whatever the sickness is, the ability to recognize and help manage pain for your loved one is extremely important.
Luckily, there are a few simple and effective treatments that can bring quick relief, such as deep-breathing exercises, relaxation techniques, oxygen, and medications.
Since providing food is such a huge part of caregiving (and caring) it often feels strange for a loved one to care for the patient and not feed them.
The important thing to understand is that when someone is dying from a terminal illness, the desire for less food is something natural and does not really speed up the process of death. Most patients experience a dramatic decline in the desire for food.
Constipation is a symptom you have to stay on top of to prevent it from becoming severe. Ask your loved one’s doctor or nurse how best to manage it.
Trouble sleeping is also common.
Sometimes constipation (trouble having bowel movements) or dehydration (not enough water in the body) may even trigger delirium.
The person may nervously pick at their sheets and clothing. They may even hallucinate and see people and things that aren’t there. Let your healthcare provider know if your loved one is showing any of these behaviors.
This can be a result of surgery or illness, or because the person is simply too weak to use the bathroom. At the very end, when the muscles relax entirely, the patient will often release the contents of their bowels.
This mottling may slowly work its way up the arms and legs. The lips and nail beds can turn blue or purple too.
The collection of mucus and fluids causes a rattling sound when the person breathes. This can upset family and friends who hear it. But most of the time, the patient isn’t feeling any pain or suffering.
Summary
When someone is nearing the end of life, they experience a variety of symptoms. Pain, shortness of breath, anxiety, incontinence, constipation, delirium, and restlessness are just a few signs that a loved one is going through the dying process.
A Word From Verywell
No one wants their loved one to die from a terminal illness. It’s a frightening experience for everyone involved. Talking with your loved one’s doctor and knowing what to expect can help you make them as comfortable as possible during the final stages of life.
