How to behave with a bedridden patient. Bedridden patient: signs before death. Changes with a person before death. Well, how can we give him hope in this case?

Unfortunately, after life there always comes death. Now science is unable to prevent old age and its inevitable fatal consequences. Relatives and friends of seriously ill patients need to be prepared for this. What does a bedridden patient experience before death? How should caregivers respond to signs of impending death? We will talk about this below.

Phases of death

There are several phases of a person's condition that occur before his death. Signs of the first stage (“pre-active phase”) can begin 2 weeks before the terrible event. During this period, the patient begins to consume less food and liquid than usual, pauses in breathing occur, wound healing worsens, and swelling appears. Also, the patient may claim imminent death and report that he has seen dead people.

Then follow these phases:

clinical death (signs of vital activity disappear, but metabolic processes still occur in the cells);
biological death (almost complete cessation of physiological processes in the body);
final death (final phase).

Signs of approaching death

Signs of death in a bedridden patient may be different in each case. There are several main ones:

Certain diseases cause specific symptoms. Thus, signs of death in a cancer patient often manifest themselves in the form of pain, nausea, confusion, anxiety and shortness of breath (with a stroke, such symptoms are less common).

It should also be noted that low blood pressure or prolonged cessation of respiratory movements (or if the bedridden patient is constantly sleeping) are not reliable indicators of imminent death in all cases. Some patients with these symptoms may suddenly recover and survive for a week, a month, or even more. Only God knows when death will occur.

How to behave correctly with a loved one

What should family and friends do if they see signs of approaching death? It is always very difficult to talk to a dying person. There is no need to give false promises and hopes of recovery. Tell the patient that his last wishes will be fulfilled. He should not think that anything is being hidden from him. If a person wants to talk about life and its last moments, he needs to do this, and not try to hush up the topic and say something detached. Before death, let the patient know that he is not alone, say words of consolation.

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What to do when life presents negative surprises and condemns a person to constant care for a sick relative? It is no secret that being with an incapacitated person around the clock puts excessive pressure on the psyche of the one who has taken upon himself the sacrificial and sacred duty to help his neighbor. Are there ways to relieve yourself and all relatives involved in the process of caring for a seriously ill person from stress? This will be discussed in our next publication.

Sometimes people don't realize the severity of the consequences

First of all, you need to correctly calculate own strength, both physical and emotional. After all, they, unfortunately, are far from unlimited. When a misfortune occurs in a family, and one of the elderly relatives suddenly falls ill, the capable member of the clan initially thinks that he can endure everything. A person is well aware that old age will one day become a reality for himself. He is trying to act as he would like his children to do to himself if something happens. Therefore, it is no secret that people can sacrifice their promising careers, personal happiness, health and a comfortable life for the sake of a good goal. However, having never encountered such a situation before, it is quite difficult to imagine the real consequences. That is why it is so important to have special knowledge, skills and relevant qualifications.

Call a professional caregiver for help

The most common option for relieving stress in caring for a seriously ill family member is to hire a professionally trained person as an assistant. It is easier for a health visitor, as an outsider, to more adequately assess the situation and make a decision without being guided solely by emotions, and medical skills will help out at the most crucial moment.

For some reason, in our society it is generally accepted that if someone resorts to the services of professionals in such a sensitive and controversial issue, it means that he is relieving himself of the burden of responsibility for his relatives or is simply showing his disrespect for them. However, this is a misconception. It is not at all necessary to hire a nurse around the clock; it is enough to limit yourself to time for your own respite.

Shift schedule is a good solution

If you install a peculiar shift work to look after and care for an incapacitated family member, free time can be devoted to restoring one’s own moral and physical strength or simply to be distracted by temporarily changing the field of activity. It is also advisable to agree with one of the other family members so that from time to time they replace the person who has taken on the main role of caring for the elderly or sick. The unity of the family, the pursuit of the interests of each of its members, is tested in such difficult moments.

Don’t refuse help that strangers offer

The feelings and emotions that overwhelm relatives during a period of serious tragedy are almost always negatively emotionally charged. Pride and neglect of help offered, for example, by a zealous neighbor, can play a cruel joke. This situation is not one of those about which it is customary to say “we ourselves are not born with a bast”, so any help from the outside can be an excellent help for the patient’s recovery, or for alleviating the general situation. Embarrassment about the patient's condition in front of his old acquaintances should not take place in the minds of the person who has undertaken to provide primary care. In some cases, when the patient’s general condition worsens, specialized institutions may also come to the rescue.

Learn how to be distracted properly

For a person who bears the main burden of caring for a seriously ill or elderly family member, it is extremely important in moments of rest not to withdraw completely into himself, not to plunge into even darker thoughts and experiences. It’s better to be in public more, with your old friends, and also do your usual things. Walking and pleasant communication will not allow you to lose your taste for your own life, no matter how difficult it may be at a given time. And in this case, any, even the shortest switching and distraction will be beneficial.

How to cope with negative emotions?

Seeing how a once cheerful and literally bursting with health loved one slowly but surely fades away is not an activity for the faint of heart. Even if a person’s psyche is sufficiently hardened, it will still be subject to negative influence emotions, this is an inevitable moment. What to do with the accumulated negativity? In any case, anger at fate, resentment, fear of the future and other negative emotions and feelings cannot be kept to yourself. Negativity will accumulate in the cup of patience until it overflows the vessel and pours onto the head of a sick person in need of help. This state of affairs cannot be allowed under any circumstances. You can find a way out of the situation by talking about your problems with one of the strangers.

In order to gradually get rid of accumulated negativity, you need to find like-minded people, people who have coped with a similar situation at different times, and ask them for advice. The invaluable experience of people who have gone through this is usually found in some online community, as well as in various mutual help groups. It must be remembered that all mental depressing moments must be disposed of in a timely manner.

Psychological breakdowns will only make the situation worse

All the points that we have described in this publication, whether it is assistance in caring for a seriously ill person from the outside or communication in a group of like-minded people, will help in the future to avoid a psychological breakdown that will fall, first of all, on an incapacitated relative. At such moments, sick people, who are not completely devoid of reason, feel like a burden and want to say goodbye to life as soon as possible in order to stop burdening their relatives.

A person who has taken on the difficult and responsible mission of caring for an incapacitated relative must remember that under no circumstances should one show one’s powerlessness or tears. Blames about what happened against fate or, even more so, the victim, also seem empty. Only cooperation with people who have similar experience seems to be a reasonable solution to the problem.

What can save a seriously ill patient?

In addition to competent professional care, a good psychological atmosphere around, a family member who has lost his legal capacity can be saved by the care, attention and love of family members. It must be remembered that absolute love, coupled with boundless faith and devotion, can work real miracles.

PUBLIC AGREEMENT for the sale of goods This agreement (hereinafter referred to as the “Agreement”) has the nature of a public offer in accordance with the current legislation of Ukraine, 1. Definition of terms: Client (Buyer) - individual who has reached the age of 18 and has full legal capacity, who places an order and purchases Goods that belong to the Seller, information about which is presented on the website www.site or at the Seller’s point of sale or in information center Seller (hereinafter referred to as “Site” or “Trading point”, “Call-center”), to satisfy his everyday needs. Seller – Company with limited liability"Medico" entity, created in accordance with the legislation of Ukraine, registered at the address: 49000, Dnepropetrovsk, st. Panikahi, house 2, building 12, room. 316. Goods - a material object owned by the Seller, put up for sale on the Site, Point of Sale, for which the price, name, description, characteristics are indicated and an indication of its availability is provided. Order - an appropriately completed and placed request from the Client (on the Website, in the Call Center), addressed to the Seller for sale and delivery to the address specified by the Client from the list of Products selected on the Website, indicating its quantity. Information Center (“Call Center”) is a specialized division of the Seller that processes requests, receives Orders and provides information via voice communication channels in the interests of the Seller. 2. Subject of the Agreement. 2.1. According to this Agreement, the Seller undertakes to transfer ownership to the Client of the Goods selected and ordered by the Client on the Seller’s Website, through a telephone call to the Seller’s Call Center, at the Seller’s point of sale, and the Client undertakes to accept and pay for the Goods in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. 2.2. When ordering goods through the Website, Call Center, outlet The Client agrees to all the terms of this Agreement. 2.3. The sale of Goods by the Seller to the Client is regulated by the provisions of the legislation of Ukraine, in particular: the Law of Ukraine “On the Protection of Consumer Rights”, Rules for the sale of goods to order and outside retail or office premises. 2.4. The Seller guarantees that the Goods have not been pledged, are not in dispute, are not under arrest and are not subject to the rights of third parties. 2.5. The seller confirms that he has all the necessary permissions to carry out economic activity related to the execution of the Agreement, and also guarantees that it has the right to sell the goods without any restrictions, in accordance with the requirements of the current legislation of Ukraine, and bears responsibility in case of violation of the Client’s rights in the process of execution of the Agreement and sale of the goods. 2.6. The Seller has the right to make changes to the text of this Agreement without prior notice. Changes to the Agreement come into force after their publication on the Site, placement in the Retail Point and apply to any Order made after publication. 2.7. The Client agrees to transfer to the Seller his personal data (last name, first name and patronymic, telephone number, delivery address), information on the Order and agrees to adhere to the mutual obligations described in the Agreement. 2.8. This Agreement is the main document establishing the rights and obligations of the Seller to all Clients. 2.9. By placing an order, the Client confirms that he is familiar with the terms of this Agreement and all actions that he will perform will not contradict the terms of the Agreement. Proper payment for the goods by the Client will be confirmation of fulfillment of the terms of the Agreement. 2.10. The Seller and the Client correspond by email, telephone calls or announcements and notifications on the Seller's Website. The Client agrees that all notices, other information provided in in electronic format, by telephone call has legal force and is equivalent to documents drawn up in writing. 2.11. The Client has no right to engage in further sale of any Product purchased from the Seller. All Products presented on the website www.site at the point of sale are intended exclusively for purchase and subsequent personal use by the Client. In case of violation of this clause of the Agreement, the Client must compensate the Seller for all losses associated with violation of this condition. 3. Personal data of Clients 3.1. The Seller has the right to collect, store and use the Client’s personal data within the framework of the consent provided by him, noted in clause 2.7 of this Agreement. 3.2. The client provides his consent to receive updated information, newsletters with the latest news, new arrivals, special offers and sales announcements via email, SMS, MMS. 3.3. The Client undertakes to provide complete and accurate information about his personal data on the website or through a telephone call to the Call Center to place an Order. If inaccuracies or any discrepancies are identified between the Client’s personal data filled out on the website or during a telephone call to the Call Center and the Client’s personal data provided by him upon receipt of the Order (identity document or personal telephone number), the Client may lose the opportunity to sell their rights in accordance with the Law of Ukraine “On the Protection of Consumer Rights” and this agreement, in particular regarding the possibility of returning the received Goods, and also bears responsibility in cases provided for by the Agreement. 4. Procedure for placing an order for the Product 4.1 To place an Order, the Client at will selects one of the methods for completing and placing an Order addressed to the Seller, namely: fills out the registration form on the Site, sends it to the Seller by clicking on the “Place Order” button, contacts the Seller’s Call Center to place an order via telephone call, or verbally provides information to an employee Seller's point of sale. The execution of an Order by the Client and its further transfer for execution means sufficient and complete familiarization of the Client with the Product, with information about the presence (absence) of preferences, discounts, as well as the impact of the terms of the Order on the formation of the final price of the Product. 4.2. After receiving the Order, the Seller processes the Order. The Customer is sent confirmation of the Order (by email, SMS, telephone call or personal communication at the point of sale) with detailed information regarding the Order: order number, ordered goods, prices, order amount. 4.3. If the ordered Goods are not in the Seller's warehouse, including for reasons beyond the control of the Seller, the latter reserves the right to reject the Customer's Order by sending an email, SMS message, telephone call or personal communication at the point of sale, indicating the reason for the refusal at the address provided during Client registration. 4.4. The order is considered accepted for execution after the Client receives electronic message to an email address, SMS, a phone call from a Call Center employee or verbal information at a point of sale, with confirmation of the acceptance of the Order after providing clarifying information regarding the Order, as well as the Seller’s contact information. 4.5. If the Client decides to cancel the Order, he must cancel the order by contacting the Seller’s Call Center to complete a cancellation of the Order via a telephone call or orally communicate the information to an employee of the Seller’s outlet. This procedure provides for cancellation of the order without the possibility of further restoration. 4.6. The Seller makes every effort to provide information about the Product as accurately as possible. However, there may be situations where the information may contain inaccuracies or appear incomplete. Therefore, the Seller reserves the right to correct errors, change or update information at any time without prior notice. 4.7. The Client can check the progress of the Order at any time by calling the Call Center or personally contacting the Seller’s outlet, indicating the order number and full name. 5. Procedure for transfer of Goods 5.1. Delivery of the ordered Product is carried out within 4 calendar days from the moment of placing the Order at the address specified by the Client. 5.2. The Seller makes every effort to comply with the delivery times specified when placing the Order. However, delivery delays are possible due to unforeseen circumstances beyond the control of the Seller (force majeure). The Seller informs the Client in the event of force majeure and agrees on new delivery conditions via email or telephone. 5.3. When ordering Goods, delivery is carried out: by courier, with the ability to select services courier services By the Buyer according to the list provided by the Seller. motor transport company, taking into account the provision best quality cargo transportation services by the Seller. 5.3.1. Acceptance of the Order can be carried out by the Client independently, at the Seller’s outlet at the address: Dnepropetrovsk, Kirova Ave., 131. To do this, when placing an Order, you need to inform the Seller about pickup. This service is available only when paying for the purchase by transferring to the Seller’s bank account as payment for the Order. To receive an order, the Client must present an identification document or tell the employee of the outlet the order number, full name and contact phone number entered in the personal data when placing the Order. 5.4. The Order is considered completed by the Seller at the time of actual transfer of the Goods included in the Order to the Client on the basis of the invoice issued by the Seller, the transport or courier company delivering the Order (receipt, delivery register, waybill, etc.) for certain Goods under Buyer's painting. Upon execution of the Order, the Seller’s obligations to the Buyer are considered fulfilled. 5.5. Ownership of the Goods and the risks associated with them pass from the Seller to the Client at the time of transfer of the Goods. Confirmation of the transfer of ownership of the Goods is the Customer’s signature on the invoice (receipt, delivery register, waybill, etc.) issued by the Seller, transport or courier company. 5.6. By agreement between the Client and the Seller, based on the economic justification for mutual benefits from the implementation of the Order, the Client may pay the cost of delivery as: a separately provided service, as part of the sales price of the goods without additional compensation for the cost of transportation and recognition of the service by the Buyer. The delivery service is considered provided at the time the Customer receives the Goods. The Client agrees that the cost of delivering the Goods to him is not refundable in cases where the Client returns the Goods in accordance with the provisions of the Law of Ukraine “On Protection of Consumer Rights” and the previously paid cost of the Goods is returned to him. 5.7. Only after full payment, the Client has the right to violate the integrity of the packaging of the Goods, and also dispose of the Goods in any other way at his own discretion, taking into account the restrictions established by the Agreement. This provision does not deprive the Client of the rights provided for by the Law of Ukraine “On the Protection of Consumer Rights”, namely in terms of the return and exchange of Goods that are proper and not of proper quality. 6. Price and terms of payment for goods 6.1. The price of the Product is indicated on the Site, in the Seller’s electronic price lists, information on which the Client can find out by contacting the Seller’s Call Center. Depending on the method of delivery of the Product, the price may or may not include delivery costs. 6.2. The Seller has the right to unilaterally change the price of the Product without warning. However, the Seller does not have the right to change the price of the ordered Product after the Order has been accepted by the Seller and the Customer has received an email confirming the Seller’s acceptance of the Order. 6.3. The cost of the Goods is paid in the national currency of Ukraine – hryvnia. 6.4. The Client can pay for the ordered Goods using a bank card to the seller’s bank account or by transfer Money to the Seller’s bank account, independently through the Client’s authorized bank. 6.4.1. The goods at the time of their transfer by the Seller, transport or courier company must be fully paid by the Client. 6.4.2. If the Order is canceled by the Client or rejected by the Seller, the paid price of the goods must be returned within 5-10 working days from the date of cancellation/rejection. 6.5. Seller's details for payment for the Goods: Limited Liability Company "Medico" account 26001012930101 MFO 300346, EDRPOU code 38903470 Address 49000, Dnepropetrovsk, st. Panikahi, house 2, building 12, room. 316. tel. 056 794-02-31 7. Return of Goods of proper quality. 7.1. The Client has the right to return the purchased Product of good quality and not used within 14 calendar days from the date of receipt of the Product. 7.2. Goods of proper quality are not subject to exchange/return, in accordance with the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine “On the implementation of certain provisions of the Law of Ukraine “On the Protection of Consumer Rights” dated March 19, 1994. No. 172, in particular: Foodstuffs, medications and means, sanitary items. hygiene; perfumery and cosmetic products. 7.3. The return of the Goods is made: By sending it by the Client to the Seller’s address: Dnepropetrovsk, Kirova Ave., 131, Medico LLC by courier, with payment at the Client’s expense. However, before sending, the Client is obliged to complete the actions specified in clause 7.1. of this Agreement, as well as pack the goods: put them back in the box or bag and secure with tape. Self-delivery to a retail outlet – service center at the address: Dnepropetrovsk, Kirova Ave., 131. 7.4. When returning the Goods, the Customer must have/provide the following documents: a document confirming the fact of payment of funds for the Goods; a written application for the return of the Goods indicating the name of the Goods, article number, cost of the Goods (not including delivery costs); number and date of the document that certifies the purchase of the Goods, objective reasons for the return, passport data, indicating the method of return of funds (bank account with all the necessary details or details for processing a postal transfer). 7.5. In case of failure to provide one of those specified in clause 7.4. documents, the Seller is not obliged to accept the Goods and fulfill the Client’s requirements related to the return of the Goods. In such cases, the Seller is also released from the obligation to send the Goods received from the Client as a return back to the Client’s address. 8. Transfer of money for returned goods. 8.1. Money is returned within 15 days from the date of receipt of the goods and a completed return application. Money can be returned to the Client by: transfer to a bank card, if the purchase was paid for by a bank card or through the cash desk of an authorized bank. 9. Other provisions. 9.1. If any of the provisions of this Agreement is declared invalid or illegal, or cannot come into force, according to the current legislation of Ukraine, such provision must be removed from the Agreement and replaced with a new provision that best meets the intentions of the Parties, while this Agreement is not revised, is not terminated, and other provisions of the Agreement remain in force. The Seller has the right to unilaterally change the terms of this Agreement by publishing it in new edition on your website 9.2. The parties to this Agreement are responsible for its non-fulfillment or improper fulfillment in accordance with the current legislation of Ukraine. 9.3. All disputes arising from the terms of this Agreement are resolved through negotiations. If the Parties have not reached an agreement on controversial issues regarding this Agreement, such a dispute is referred to the court in accordance with Ukrainian legislation on the protection of consumer rights. 9.4. This agreement is public offer. Absence of a copy of the Agreement signed between the parties on paper with the signatures of both parties in the case of actual payment by the Client and/or delivery of goods is not a reason to consider this Agreement not concluded. Placing an Order in accordance with the terms of the Agreement is considered acceptance by the Client, and payment by the Client is considered its execution.

Medicine does not know how to deal with dementia, so more and more elderly people who are losing their minds are being cared for by relatives.

Living with can take away the strength of both the patient and his loved ones for decades.

How to deal with people with dementia? This article contains practical advice, so that you can avoid unobvious mistakes and simplify life for yourself and your loved ones.

With dementia, a person loses the ability to perform most daily tasks, but the need to somehow spend free time does not disappear. It is necessary to constantly distract the patient from worries and boredom.

What to do with a weak person who has fallen into dementia:

How to communicate

How to talk to people with dementia:

Speak clearly: Use clear words and pronounce sounds clearly and slowly. Repeat if you are not understood.
Ask simple questions: use speech structures such that you can answer “yes” or “no.”
Keep your sense of humor: People with dementia can laugh and enjoy it.
Answer with caring in your voice: don’t get angry if you are asked the same question, answer responsively every time.

Learn how to communicate with a person with dementia in this video:

How to help if he is losing his memory

Transient memory loss indicates the transition of the disease to the next one. This process cannot be slowed down, so it is worth preparing for the patient’s worsening condition.

People with dementia need to prepare comfortable and safe conditions:

Provide the patient with a notepad for notes.
Buy mobile phone with a capacious battery and convenient controls.
Isolate dangerous objects (gas stove, knives, medicines, cleaning products).
Ensure accessibility to things so that everything you need is in sight.
Take care of the doors in the house: the patient should not be able to lock himself.
Buy diapers or waterproof bedding.
Install smoke detectors and a CCTV camera if possible.

Don't forget about legal issues. Solve them while your loved one is able to sign on their own to avoid unnecessary procedures in the future.

Features of behavior

How to calm down during attacks

Do not give in to the patient's mood, maintain composure. Identify and eliminate the source of concern. Attract attention with positive things. Over time, the patient will calm down.

A trick for dementia

Having lost their belongings, a person with dementia may be sincerely convinced that they were robbed by loved ones.

As a result, he will try to return the favor.

If a person with dementia has become cunning, you must be cunning: tell him a convenient place for hidden things, and the problem of finding it will disappear by itself. Check the contents of the trash can.

The main thing is not to get into an argument with the patient; it is better to show that you fell for his bait, look for the loss together, and then divert attention to another type of activity.

What to do in case of aggression

Do not take aggressive attacks personally, remember that the person under your care is out of his mind, and his words do not apply to you personally, but to the world around you as a whole.

Learn to control your reaction to unexpected manifestations of rudeness. Put yourself in the patient's position and demonstrate friendliness.

Distract him from the source of the aggression. After the conflict is resolved, act as if nothing happened.

Contact a psychiatrist if attacks of aggression occur too often, ask to be prescribed, but keep in mind that pharmacological intervention is not the best solution for cognitive disorders.

He doesn't talk much

What to do if a person with dementia aged, for example, 85 years old, speaks little? Silence at an early stage can be a sign of depression.

In order to improve the emotional state of your loved one, you can engage in creative activities with him: singing or painting.

Group classes are effective for people with dementia: the practice of group singing is widespread in the UK, and many participants experience an improvement in their mood after classes.

The main thing is that the songs performed are well known to all participants.

Sleeps a lot

Disorientation in time is common in dementia: in patients, the areas of the brain responsible for regulating the sleep-wake cycle are affected.

At the last stage of the disease, the patient does not distinguish the time of day at all.

To stabilize your wakefulness cycle, it is recommended to regularly go for a walk before bed and take a warm bath. Put your loved one to bed after making sure they have gone to the toilet.

Before using sleeping pills, consult your doctor; side effects may adversely affect your health.

A person lying down has his legs twisted

Leg cramps in a bedridden person indicate a lack of magnesium and decreased blood circulation. To prevent cramps, use vitamins containing magnesium.

How to relieve a cramp:

prick the site of spasm with a needle or pinch;
rub in anesthetic or warming ointment;
if there is no ointment, rub your leg with a woolen scarf;
After eliminating the cramp, place your leg on an elevation.

If spasms occur regularly, you should consult a neurologist.

How does rearranging furniture affect

Disorientation is one of the main symptoms of dementia. An unfamiliar space is scary, so changing your environment is not recommended.

The patient always has a chance to remember the old layout of the apartment and calm down, whereas in the new environment the patient will experience stress.

Determine what the person under your care can handle on his own, whether he is able to navigate the street, and whether he needs help preparing food.

Do not do for the patient what he can handle on his own!

In the initial stages, patients may not require care, but the disease will progress and the need for attention will increase.

Diet and nutrition

The patient must use cutlery himself. If necessary, place a spoon in your loved one's hand and remind them how to use it.

When using cutlery is no longer possible, prepare food to be eaten with your hands. Serve food in a manner that will not cause burns or choking!

Loss of appetite can occur for a number of reasons:

Sedentary lifestyle: the feeling of hunger disappears due to lack of normal physical activity. Take the patient out for walks more often and engage him in light physical activity. Do special exercises for dementia.
Constipation: This disease is a common cause of refusal to eat in dementia. Introduce more foods high in fiber and fluid into your diet.
Memory loss: a loved one may not recognize the food and refuse to eat their favorite food. Tell him about the dish being offered, describe its taste in order to whet his appetite.
Swallowing problems: With dementia, muscle dysfunction may occur that prevents food from passing into the esophagus. Contact your doctor if you have difficulty swallowing.

Do you need a nurse?

A caregiver is needed for advanced stages of dementia:

if your loved one often stays at home alone;
the patient lacks care;
your family cannot live normally because of his whims.

It is better to choose a nurse together with the person under your care.

Ask the nurse to provide your passport details and write them down. Take a receipt confirming that the employee has received the keys to the apartment.

If a loved one refuses to accept help from a stranger, explain that you have a lot to do and this is only for a while.

Help the nurse in the first days, so you will have the opportunity to make friends with the patient and make sure of the professionalism of the worker.

Do not hesitate to make surprise checks; they should not confuse a person if he does his job conscientiously.

How to reconcile and live with those who are nearby

How to come to terms with the fact that your beloved grandparent has dementia? If you have a relative with dementia, you may think that their death will bring you relief. After this you will feel remorse.

You must understand that such thoughts can arise in every person in the current situation. Given the stress, this is quite natural.

To prevent your depression from developing, communicate with people who are in the same situation, support each other. Contact a psychologist if you feel the need.

Remember that those around you have not experienced similar experiences, and they will not be able to understand you. Find a sympathetic friend to whom you can always pour out your heart.

Don't forget that you are not alone in this world. Consult with doctors, do not hesitate to ask friends and relatives for help.

It is on the principle of collective mutual assistance that this article was written; it contains advice from experienced caregivers who were able to survive all the trials that have now befallen you.

Tips for caring for someone with dementia:

If there is a bedridden patient in the house who is in serious condition, it will not hurt the relatives to know the signs of approaching death in order to be well prepared. The process of dying can occur not only physically, but also mentally. Considering the fact that each person is individual, each patient will have their own characteristics, but there are still some general symptoms that will indicate the imminent end of a person’s life.

How can a person feel as death approaches?

We are not talking about a person for whom death is sudden, but about patients who have been sick for a long time and are bedridden. As a rule, such patients can experience mental anguish for a long time, because being in their right mind a person understands perfectly well what he has to endure. A dying person constantly feels all the changes that occur in his body. And all this ultimately contributes to constant changes in mood, as well as loss of mental balance.

Most bedridden patients withdraw into themselves. They begin to sleep a lot, but remain indifferent to everything that happens around them. There are also frequent cases when, just before death, patients’ health suddenly improves, but after a while the body becomes even weaker, followed by a failure of all vital functions of the body.

Signs of imminent death

Anticipate exact time leaving for another world is impossible, but paying attention to the signs of approaching death is quite possible. Let's look at the main symptoms that may indicate imminent death:

The patient loses his energy, sleeps a lot, and the periods of wakefulness become less and less each time. Sometimes a person can sleep for a whole day and stay awake for only a couple of hours.
Breathing changes, the patient may breathe either too quickly or too slowly. In some cases, it may even seem that the person has completely stopped breathing for a while.
He loses his hearing and vision, and sometimes hallucinations may occur. During such periods, the patient may hear or see something that is not really happening. You can often see him talking to people who have long been dead.
A bedridden patient loses his appetite, and he not only stops eating protein foods, but also refuses to drink. To somehow allow moisture to seep into his mouth, you can dip a special sponge in water and moisten your dry lips with it.
The color of the urine changes, it becomes dark brown or even dark red, and its smell becomes very pungent and toxic.
Body temperature often changes, it can be high, and then drop sharply.
An elderly bedridden patient may become lost in time.

Of course, it is impossible to extinguish the pain of loved ones from the imminent loss of their loved one, but it is still possible to prepare and prepare yourself psychologically.

What does drowsiness and weakness in a bedridden patient indicate?

When death approaches, a bedridden patient begins to sleep a lot, and the point is not that he feels very tired, but that it is simply difficult for such a person to wake up. The patient is often in deep sleep, so his reaction is inhibited. This condition is close to coma. The manifestation of excessive weakness and drowsiness naturally slows down some of a person’s physiological abilities, so in order to roll over from one side to the other or go to the toilet, he will need help.

What changes occur in respiratory function?

Relatives who care for the patient may notice how his rapid breathing will sometimes give way to breathlessness. And over time, the patient’s breathing may become moist and stagnant, causing wheezing to be heard when inhaling or exhaling. It occurs because fluid collects in the lungs, which is no longer removed naturally by coughing.

Sometimes the patient is helped by being turned from one side to the other, then the liquid can come out of the mouth. Some patients are prescribed oxygen therapy to relieve suffering, but it does not prolong life.

How do vision and hearing change?

Minute clouding of consciousness in severely ill patients can be directly related to changes in vision and hearing. This often happens in their last weeks of life, for example, they stop seeing and hearing well, or, on the contrary, they hear things that no one else can hear.

The most common are visual hallucinations just before death, when a person thinks that someone is calling him or he sees someone. In this case, doctors recommend agreeing with the dying person in order to at least somehow cheer him up; you should not deny what the patient sees or hears, otherwise it can greatly upset him.

How does your appetite change?

In a bedridden patient, before death, the metabolic process may be reduced, which is why he stops wanting to eat and drink.

Naturally, to support the body, the patient should still be given at least some nutritious food, so it is recommended to feed the person in small portions until he is able to swallow. And when this ability is lost, then it is no longer possible to do without IVs.

What changes occur in the bladder and intestines before death?

Signs of imminent death of a patient are directly related to changes in the functioning of the kidneys and intestines. The kidneys stop producing urine, so it becomes dark brown in color, because the filtration process is disrupted. A small amount of urine can contain a huge amount of toxins that have a detrimental effect on the entire body.

Such changes can lead to complete failure of the kidneys, the person falls into a coma and dies after a while. Due to the fact that appetite decreases, changes occur in the intestines themselves. The stool becomes hard, causing constipation. The patient needs to alleviate the condition, so relatives who care for him are recommended to give the patient an enema every three days or make sure that he takes a laxative on time.

How does body temperature change?

If there is a bedridden patient in the house, the signs before death can be very diverse. Relatives may notice that a person’s body temperature is constantly changing. This is due to the fact that the part of the brain that is responsible for thermoregulation may not function well.

At some point, body temperature can rise to 39 degrees, but after half an hour it can drop significantly. Naturally, in this case, it will be necessary to give the patient antipyretic drugs, most often Ibuprofen or Aspirin are used. If the patient does not have the function of swallowing, then antipyretic suppositories can be given or an injection can be given.

Just before death, the temperature immediately drops, the arms and legs become cold, and the skin in these areas becomes covered with red spots.

Why does a person’s mood often change before death?

A dying person, without realizing it, is gradually preparing himself for death. He has enough time to analyze his entire life and draw conclusions about what was done right or wrong. It seems to the patient that everything he says is misinterpreted by his family and friends, so he begins to withdraw into himself and stops communicating with others.

In many cases, clouding of consciousness occurs, so a person can remember everything that happened to him a long time ago in the smallest details, but he will no longer remember what happened an hour ago. It can be scary when this condition reaches the point of psychosis, in which case it is necessary to consult a doctor who can prescribe sedatives to the patient.

How can I help a dying person relieve physical pain?

A bedridden patient after a stroke or a person who has become incapacitated due to another illness may experience severe pain. To somehow alleviate his suffering, it is necessary to use painkillers.

A pain reliever may be prescribed by your doctor. And if the patient does not have any problems with swallowing, then the drugs can be in the form of tablets, but in other cases injections will have to be used.

If a person has a serious illness that is accompanied by severe pain, then it will be necessary to use drugs that are available only by prescription, for example, these could be Fentanyl, Codeine or Morphine.

Today, there are many drugs that will be effective for pain, some of them are produced in the form of drops that are dripped under the tongue, and sometimes even a patch can provide significant help to the patient. There is a category of people who are very careful about painkillers, citing the fact that addiction may occur. To avoid addiction, as soon as a person begins to feel better, you can stop taking the drug for a while.

Emotional stress experienced by the dying person

Changes with a person before death concern not only him physical health, but his psychological state is also affected. If a person experiences a little stress, then this is normal, but if the stress lasts for a long time, then most likely this is the deep depression that a person experiences before death. The fact is that everyone can have their own emotional experiences and will show their own signs before death.

A bedridden patient will experience not only physical pain, but also mental pain, which will have an extremely negative impact on his general condition and will bring the moment of death closer.

But even if a person has a fatal illness, relatives should try to cure their loved one’s depression. In this case, the doctor may prescribe antidepressants or consultations with a psychologist. This is a natural process when a person becomes despondent, knowing that he has very little time left to live in the world, so relatives should do their best to distract the patient from sad thoughts.

Additional symptoms before death

It should be noted that there are different signs before death. A bedridden patient may experience symptoms that are not detected in others. For example, some patients often complain of constant nausea and vomiting, although their disease has nothing to do with the gastrointestinal tract. This process is easily explained by the fact that due to illness, the body becomes weaker and cannot cope with the digestion of food, which can cause certain problems with the functioning of the stomach.

In this case, relatives will need to seek help from a doctor who can prescribe medications to alleviate this condition. For example, for persistent constipation, a laxative can be used, and for nausea, other effective medications are prescribed that will dull this unpleasant feeling.

Naturally, not a single such drug can save a life or prolong it indefinitely, but it is still possible to alleviate the suffering of a loved one, so it would be wrong not to take advantage of this chance.

How to care for a dying relative?

Today there are special means for caring for bedridden patients. With their help, the person caring for the patient makes his work much easier. But the fact is that a dying person requires not only physical care, but also a lot of attention - he needs constant conversations in order to be distracted from his sad thoughts, and only family and friends can provide emotional conversations.

A sick person must be absolutely calm, and unnecessary stress will only bring the minutes of his death closer. To alleviate the suffering of a relative, you need to seek help from qualified doctors who can prescribe all the necessary medications to help overcome many unpleasant symptoms.

All the signs listed above are general, and it should be remembered that each person is individual, and therefore so is the body. different situations may behave differently. And if there is a bedridden patient in the house, his signs before death may turn out to be completely unexpected for you, since everything depends on the disease and on the individuality of the organism.