{"id":1051,"date":"2011-03-15T08:16:50","date_gmt":"2011-03-15T14:16:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/touchingheartsathome.wordpress.com\/?p=31"},"modified":"2026-05-05T07:43:23","modified_gmt":"2026-05-05T07:43:23","slug":"anticipating-when-death-is-near","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/touchinghearts.com\/aurora\/blog\/anticipating-when-death-is-near\/","title":{"rendered":"Anticipating when death is near"},"content":{"rendered":"<section class=\"block block--freeform\">\n<div class=\"container\"><span style=\"font-size:small\"><strong>What are the signs that death is approaching? What can the caregiver do to make the client comfortable?<\/strong> <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:small\">Certain  signs and symptoms can help a caregiver anticipate when death is near.  They are described below, along with suggestions for managing them. It  is important to remember that not every client experiences each of the  signs and symptoms. In addition, the presence of one or more of these  symptoms does not necessarily indicate that the client is close to  death. A member of the client&#8217;s health care team can give family members  and caregivers more information about what to expect.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:small\"> <\/span><strong>Drowsiness<\/strong>, increased sleep, and\/or unresponsiveness (caused by changes in the client&#8217;s metabolism).\u00a0 The  caregiver and family members can plan visits and activities for  times  when the client is alert. It is important to speak directly to the   client and talk as if the person can hear, even if there is no   response.\u00a0 Most clients are still able to hear after they are no longer  able to speak. Clients should not be shaken if they do not respond.<span style=\"font-size:small\"><strong> <\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:small\"><strong>Confusion<\/strong> about time, place, and\/or identity of loved ones; restlessness; visions  of people and places that are not present; pulling at bed linens or  clothing (caused in part by changes in the client&#8217;s metabolism). Gently  remind the client of the time, date, and people who are with them. If  the client is agitated, do not attempt to restrain the client. Be calm  and reassuring. Speaking calmly may help to re-orient the client.<\/span><strong> <\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong><span style=\"font-size:small\">Decreased socialization and withdrawal<\/span><\/strong> (caused by decreased oxygen to the brain, decreased blood flow, and mental preparation for dying).<span style=\"font-size:small\"> Speak to the client directly. Let the client know you are there for  them. The client may be aware and able to hear, but unable to respond.  Professionals advise that giving the client permission to \u201clet go\u201d by  family members can be helpful.<\/span><strong> <\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong><span style=\"font-size:small\">Decreased need for food and fluids<\/span><\/strong>,  and loss of appetite (caused by the body&#8217;s need to conserve energy and  its decreasing ability to use food and fluids properly).<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:small\">Allow the client to choose if and when to eat or drink. Ice chips,  water, or juice may be refreshing if the client can swallow. Keep the  client&#8217;s mouth and lips moist with products such as glycerin swabs and  lip balm.<\/span><strong><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong><span style=\"font-size:small\">Loss of bladder or bowel control<\/span><\/strong> (caused by the relaxing of muscles in the pelvic area).<span style=\"font-size:small\"> Keep the client as clean, dry, and comfortable as possible. Place  disposable pads on the bed beneath the client and remove them when they  become soiled.<\/span><strong><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong><span style=\"font-size:small\">Darkened urine or decreased amount of urine<\/span><\/strong> (caused by slowing of kidney function and\/or decreased fluid intake).<span style=\"font-size:small\"> A member of the client&#8217;s health care team may need to insert a  catheter to avoid blockage. A member of the health care team can teach  the caregiver how to take care of the catheter if one is needed.<\/span><strong><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong><span style=\"font-size:small\">Skin becomes cool to the touch<\/span><\/strong>,  particularly the hands and feet; skin may become bluish in color,  especially on the underside of the body (caused by decreased circulation  to the extremities).<span style=\"font-size:small\"> Blankets can be used to warm the client. Although the skin may be  cool, clients are usually not aware of feeling cold. Caregivers should  avoid warming the client with electric blankets or heating pads, which  can cause burns.<\/span><strong><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong><span style=\"font-size:small\">Rattling or gurgling sounds<\/span><\/strong> while breathing, which may be loud; breathing that is irregular and  shallow; decreased number of breaths per minute; breathing that  alternates between rapid and slow (caused by congestion from decreased  fluid consumption, a buildup of waste products in the body, and\/or a  decrease in circulation to the organs).<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:small\">Breathing may be easier if the client&#8217;s body is turned to the side  and pillows are placed beneath the head and behind the back. Although  labored breathing can sound very distressing to the caregiver, gurgling  and rattling sounds do not cause discomfort to the client. An external  source of oxygen may benefit some clients. If the client is able to  swallow, ice chips also may help. In addition, a cool mist humidifier  may help make the client&#8217;s breathing more comfortable.<\/span><strong><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong><span style=\"font-size:small\">Turning the head toward a light source<\/span><\/strong> (caused by decreasing vision).<span style=\"font-size:small\"> Leave soft, indirect lights on in the room. <\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong><span style=\"font-size:small\">Increased difficulty controlling pain<\/span><\/strong><span style=\"font-size:small\"> (caused by progression of the disease).\u00a0 It is important that pain medications are given by healthcare providers as the client&#8217;s<\/span><span style=\"font-size:small\"> doctor has prescribed.\u00a0 (The caregiver should contact TH office if they are concerned<\/span><span style=\"font-size:small\"> that the client is not comfortable.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:small\"><strong>Involuntary movements, changes in heart rate, and loss of reflexes in the legs and arms<\/strong> are additional signs that the end of life is near.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:small\"><strong>What are some ways that caregivers can provide emotional comfort to the client?<\/strong> <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:small\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:small\">Everyone  has different needs, but some emotions are common to most dying  clients. These include fear of abandonment and fear of being a burden.  They also have concerns about loss of dignity and loss of control. Some  ways caregivers can provide comfort are as follows:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:small\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:small\">Keep the person company\u2014talk, watch movies, read, or just be with the person. <\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:small\">Allow the person to express fears and concerns about dying, such as leaving family and friends behind. Be prepared to listen. <\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:small\">Be willing to reminisce about the person&#8217;s life. <\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:small\">Avoid  withholding difficult information. Most clients prefer to be included  in discussions about issues that concern them as directed by family  members and TH office. <\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:small\">Reassure the client that you will honor advance directives, such as living wills as directed by their Plan of Care. <\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:small\">Ask if there is anything you can do. <\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:small\">Respect the person&#8217;s need for privacy.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:small\">For additional information go to <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.cancer.gov\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"color:#0000ff;font-size:small\">www.cancer.gov<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What are the signs that death is approaching? What can the caregiver do to make the client comfortable? Certain signs and symptoms can help a caregiver anticipate when death is near. They are described below, along with suggestions for managing them. It is important to remember that not every client experiences each of the signs [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1051","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Anticipating when death is near - Touching Hearts at Home of Aurora, CO<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/touchinghearts.com\/aurora\/blog\/anticipating-when-death-is-near\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Anticipating when death is near - Touching Hearts at Home of Aurora, CO\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"What are the signs that death is approaching? What can the caregiver do to make the client comfortable? Certain signs and symptoms can help a caregiver anticipate when death is near. They are described below, along with suggestions for managing them. 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