There may be times when they stop breathing for a few seconds. When someone is dying, their breathing often changes. The medical staff will want to know so that they can plan the best way to control the pain. It’s important to tell the doctors and nurses if the dying person can’t communicate very well and you think they are in pain. Sometimes restlessness is a sign of being in pain. The doctors and nurses looking after the dying person will do all they can. But if a person is in pain, it can usually be well controlled, and people can be kept very comfortable. Many people who are dying, and the people around them, worry that they will be in pain. As people become very close to death and are not eating or drinking, the amount of urine and stools they produce gets less and less. They might also be able to arrange a laundry service for you, if necessary. If you are caring for the person at home, the district nurses and specialist nurses can arrange for you to have protective sheets or pads for the bed. The nursing staff will do all they can to protect the bed and keep your relative or friend as clean and comfortable as possible. This can be distressing to see and you might worry that they may feel embarrassed. This happens because the muscles in these areas relax and don’t work as they did. The dying person might lose control of their bladder and bowel.
Your GP or district nurse can provide this. A water-based saliva replacement gel can help with dry lips and a dry mouth. You can put lip balm on their lips to help stop them from getting dry and sore.Įven if they can’t take anything into their mouth, you can moisten their lips and mouth every 1 to 2 hours.
If they are still awake, you can give them small pieces of ice to suck or sips of fluid. It is important not to try and force them to eat or drink. There will come a time when the dying person won't want to eat or drink anything. It's also a good idea to tell them when you go into or leave their room.ĭifficulty swallowing or not wanting to eat or drink at all It is important not to say anything you wouldn’t want them to hear. You can sit close to them and hold their hand. So it is important not to stop talking to them and comforting them. Hearing may be one of the last senses to be lost. But this doesn’t mean they can’t hear you. They might not respond when you try to wake them. Sleepiness and difficulty waking (semi consciousness) They can answer your questions and help make home nursing easier for you. If you are looking after someone at home while they are dying, you should have support from a specialist community nurse, district nurses and the GP. They will do all they can to make your relative or friend as comfortable as possible during their death. The doctors and nurses looking after the person will regularly check for these changes. They don’t mean that the person is uncomfortable or in distress. But they are part of a natural dying process. It can be emotionally very difficult to watch someone go through these physical changes. When death is very near, you might notice some physical changes such as changes in breathing, loss of bladder and bowel control and unconsciousness. The dying person will feel weak and sleep a lot. How long this takes varies from person to person. The body begins its natural process of slowing down all its functions. So letting them go can be one of the most important and loving things you can do for them. Some people will hold on until they have heard these words from the people they love. Reassure them that it is all right to let go and die whenever they are ready. Allow them to share any memories or feelings they have. Let your loved one know that you’re there for them and will help them with any of these issues. It is important to understand these things. They might still have issues they want to resolve or relationships they want to put right. Letting goĮven if the physical body is ready to shut down, some dying people might resist death. It is very difficult to give exact details. But we can give you some general information about what might happen and what you can do to support your loved one through their dying process. They often worry that they won't be able to cope or know what to do. The information on this page is for your carers, relatives and friends. Knowing that you or a loved one is close to dying can be very difficult. But it can help carers and relatives to know a little about what to expect.
What happens in the last days of life is different for everyone.
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