Signs Death Is Near in Dementia: What Families Need to Know

During the end times, what a family may tend to reflect on the most is not a medical moment; it is a silent moment. A longer than usual hand held. A breath that seems heavier. An elderly one who has ceased to open their eyes yet they remain present, certainly in a manner that is inexplicable through words. The dementia does not tend to stop abruptly. Rather, it puts life slowly, agonizingly, to rest. Being aware of the signs death is near dementia can help families understand these final moments and provide comfort in ways words often cannot.

Knowledge of end-of-dementia processes can also enable the family to substitute fear with preparedness and confusion with peace.

When the Body Starts to Fall Away

The body starts to conserve energy as dementia advances to the end stage. Most of the families can observe that their loved one is spending most of the time asleep and is hard to wake. This cannot be called suffering; it is the natural reaction of the body as the systems start closing down.

This is a period when appetite dies. Eating and drinking can be reduced to a minimum or cease. Although this is very difficult to observe emotionally, this is a normal aspect of dying. The body is no longer in need of the fuel as it used to be, and forcing food may lead to discomfort and not comfort.

Alterations in Circulation and Breathing

The breathing patterns tend to change towards the end of life. Breaths can either be irregular, shallow, or take a moment in between. Other people acquire a rattling noise during breathing, the fact that the fluid they can no longer swallow or clear. Although it sounds painful to listen to, it is not usually painful to the one who is going through it.

Hands and feet can be cool, and the color of the skin can change a little, becoming slower in circulation. These physical alterations are an indication that the body is focusing on the key organs and slowly setting towards a rest.

Withdrawal From the World

Withdrawal is one of the most vivid symptoms of impending death in dementia. One can cease to answer the call, lose eye contact, or look like they are not aware of what is going on around them. This is not to say that they are deaf. Hearing is one of the last senses that many caregivers consider to deteriorate.

Even when there is no obvious response, speaking in a low tone, playing a song that the patient is familiar with, or just being in the room can help.

Restricted Mobility and Frailty

During late-stage dementia, the majority of such people are completely reliant on care. They can no longer walk, stand up, or turn over without anyone helping them. There is a heightened weakness of muscles and difficulty in swallowing which increases the chances of aspiration and infections.

At this point, the care purpose is no longer treatment but comfort, other than keeping the individual pain-free, clean, warm, and emotionally supported.

Emotional Changes in the Last Phase

Although dementia may obstruct consciousness, there will always be some light in the end. Other individuals momentarily identify with loved ones, utter some meaningful words, or express some emotional show that feels surprising. Although these are short moments, they can be very meaningful to the family.

It is also a usual feature that someone who is about to die also relaxes even when they were earlier agitated. This relaxation may indicate that the mind and body are relaxing.

What Is the Time Period of This Final Stage?

Families tend to question how much time the final stage would take. There is no exact timeline. To others, the changes take place in days. For others, it may take weeks. Hospice or palliative care teams could assist the families to know what to expect and offer advice during this period of uncertainty.

It is not how many days one has but how many comfortable and care-filled days he or she has.

What Families Can Do

You need not have the right words. Being present is enough. Sit quietly. Hold a hand. Speak gently. Tell stories, even when you are not certain that you are being received.

In case of hospice care, rely on their experience. They not only offer their presence to the dementia person, but also to families associated with grief, fatigue, and emotional stress.

Graceful Demise, Not a Failure in Medicine

Dementia is a terminal disease, but it is not always perceived as an illness at an early stage. It is not a care failure when approaching death; it is the natural course of a long journey.

Being aware of the symptoms that indicate that a person is in the first stages of the end and close to death enables families to put the struggle to fight the inevitability aside and instead appreciate the life of that person, his dignity, and comfort of his end time.

Ultimately, what is left is not the disease, but the affection expressed when words are not required anymore.