CARING for an elderly or sick relative can be challenging.
More often than not, when it comes to end of life care, it can be hard to know what to do for your loved one.
tiktok/hospicenursejulieHospice nurse Julie McFadden said there are signs that you can look out for in the weeks and months before you loved one’s death[/caption]
It can also be hard to spot when they are coming close to their final days.
Taking to TikTok, hospice nurse Julie McFadden said there are some death and dying patterns that you can look out for.
The eight key signs include:
Sleeping moreEating lessPersonality changesFeeling isolatedNeeding help with normal tasksSeeing or talking to dead relativesChanges in breathingChanges in skin colour.
Nurse Julie, who is based in the US, said she has witnessed hundreds of deaths and that most patients will show some of the above signs.
She explained that in the first few months, you will notice that your loved one who’s dying is sleeping a lot more and eating less.
“They may have some personality changes too and be more isolated,” she said.
The expert explained that as their disease progresses and they’re getting closer to death, then you’ll notice ‘a lot more’ of that behaviour.
Another sign you will notice, she said, will be that your loved one will need a lot of help with ‘dls’.
This refers to daily living activities and nurse Julie said that this would include them struggling to get up and go to the bathroom.
“It’s going to be very difficult for them to do that,” she said.
Nurse Julie added: “When they are around a month before dying, they’ll start seeing and talking to dead relatives, loved ones, pets, angels, things like that.
“Not everyone, but most people. Especially if you ask them, they’ll start telling you some stories that you won’t believe”.
The actively dying phase, nurse Julie said, is the last phase of death.
She said that during this time, almost everyone looks the same.
“Fully unconscious, not eating or drinking, changes in breathing, changes in skin colour and a little bit of gurgle.
“All of this is ok and normal, she added.”
Nurse Julie educates people on death and dying through her TikTok page.
She previously revealed what she tells her dying patients to help them have a peaceful death.
The end of life expert also charted some of the most surprising things that happen in her job and what it’s really like when you’re dying.