Successfully reducing pain and addressing concerns about breathing can provide needed comfort to someone who is close to dying. Research shows that morphine given in clinical settings at the end of life does not hasten death when it is prescribed appropriately. You might have heard that giving morphine leads to a quicker death. Sometimes, morphine is also given to ease the feeling of shortness of breath. Morphine is an opiate, a strong drug used to treat serious pain. What about morphine and other painkillers? Palliative medical specialists are experienced in pain management for seriously ill patients consider consulting with one if they’re not already involved (see What Are Palliative Care and Hospice Care?). Tell the health care professionals if the pain is not controlled because medicines can be increased or changed. Try to make sure that the level of pain does not get ahead of pain-relieving medicines. Pain is easier to prevent than to relieve, and severe pain is hard to manage. This can make it even harder for families and other loved ones to communicate with the person in a meaningful way.ĭon’t be afraid of giving as much pain medicine as is prescribed by the doctor. Struggling with severe pain can be draining and make the dying person understandably angry or short-tempered. For those who do, experts believe that care should focus on relieving pain without worrying about possible long-term problems of drug dependence or abuse. Not everyone who is dying experiences pain. For example, the person may be uncomfortable because of: Depending on the cause of the discomfort, there are things you or a health care provider can do to help make the dying person more comfortable. End of life: Providing physical comfortĭiscomfort during the dying process can come from a variety of sources. Of course, the family of the dying person needs support as well, with practical tasks and emotional distress. Generally speaking, people who are dying need care in four areas: physical comfort, mental and emotional needs, spiritual needs, and practical tasks. When possible, there are steps you can take to increase the likelihood of a peaceful death for your loved one, follow their end-of-life wishes, and treat them with respect while they are dying. Many want to be surrounded by family and friends, but it’s common for some to slip away while their loved ones aren’t in the room. Some people may want to be at home when they die, while others may prefer to seek treatment in a hospital or facility until the very end. The end of life may look different depending on the person’s preferences, needs, or choices. Older people often live with one or more chronic illness and need significant care for days, weeks, and even months before death. This type of care does not happen only in the moments before breathing ceases and the heart stops beating. What is end-of-life care?Įnd-of-life care is the term used to describe the support and medical care given during the time surrounding death. Such care often involves a team: Always remember to check with the person’s health care team to make sure these suggestions are appropriate for the situation. In this article, you will read about ways to help provide care and comfort to someone who is dying. You may want to know how to provide comfort, what to say, or what to do. It's common to wonder what happens when someone is dying. Others remain physically strong while cognitive function declines. For some older adults at the end of life, the body weakens while the mind stays clear. Death can come suddenly, or a person may linger in a near-death state for days, weeks, or even months. End of life: Managing mental and emotional needsĮach experience is different at the end of life.End of life: Providing physical comfort.The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly.
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