Hearing that a family member has a shorter-than-expected lifespan due to a terminal illness or some other condition is not easy to manage alone. Working with hospice care services can help family members learn as much as possible about what’s about to happen and how they can help the people they love.
It’s a good idea for family members to learn as much as possible about the stages of death and what they’re likely to witness during those times.
Stages of Death
The process of dying isn’t something that typically occurs suddenly unless there is an accident or sudden illness. Seniors who are facing a terminal illness tend to go through the stages of death in a predictable pattern.
Working with hospice care providers can help families understand what is happening at each stage of the process, from months before the person passes away to those final days of life.
Months Before Dying
Two to three months before passing away, seniors start to exhibit more obvious physical changes. They may be sleeping more, and their appetite may decline sharply. Because of that, they may start to dramatically lose weight.
It can be frustrating and a little bit scary to witness an aging adult turning away food and even water more often, but it’s part of the process. At this stage, their bodies no longer need as much energy because they’re starting to shut down.
Mentally, seniors may start to talk more about end-of-life concerns and wishes, or they might withdraw a bit from daily activities.
Weeks Before Dying
As time shortens and seniors edge closer to passing away, they may start to sleep even more than before. They may begin to experience symptoms like irregular pulse rates, lower blood pressure, and lower body temperatures than normal. They might also seem to experience greater changes in how their senses work, often hearing and seeing things that aren’t there. They might become more restless.
These changes are often very difficult for family members to observe because it’s more and more obvious what is happening. Hospice care can help families to get help with anticipatory grief.
Days Before Dying
The very final days of life bring a lot of changes that can be incredibly confusing for family members. Seniors may have a sudden surge of energy or experience terminal lucidity, where they appear almost normal and interact with others like they used to. Often, family members see this as a sign that their family member is recovering, but this doesn’t last. Seniors may also start to experience breathing changes, especially less regular breathing accompanied by rattling sounds.
It’s helpful for family members to continue to sit and talk with the person who is passing away and to reassure them that someone is there with them.
It’s never easy to witness the end of someone’s life. As someone moves through these stages, hospice care providers can do a lot to make the person comfortable and help them have what they need at every step of the way.
If you or an aging loved one needs Hospice Care in Davis, CA, contact A Better Living Home Care today (916) 514-7006
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