Frequently Asked Questions
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Are we just giving up? Did we do enough and/or make the right decision? This is a very normal and common question to ask. Most of the time, when people ask if they made the right choice, or if they did enough, the mere fact that they’re asking themselves that question indicates that they have probably exhausted every possibility. The grief inside us tends to ask a lot of “what if?” questions. Deciding to transition from actively treating disease to focusing on comfort can be a very challenging deci - sion involving endless factors that are not always easy to understand. Talk about your specific situation with your care team. We can help you to understand your or your loved one’s medical condition and what differ- ent options could look like. In most cases, by the time someone gets to Elizabeth House, further treatment would only cause more suffering and not increase the quality of life. We want to know what your goals are so we can help you meet them. My loved one isn’t eating or drinking. Are they suffering? How long can they survive? This can vary depending on a few factors. It is a normal process for people to slowly or suddenly stop eating or drinking as they approach death. Sometimes people are given large amounts of fluids in the hospital that can sustain them for days after they stop drinking wa- ter. In general, people can only live for a few days after they have stopped drinking or taking fluids. Please see the previous page: Food and Drink for more informa- tion on the topic.
Can they still hear me? Research has shown that hearing is the last sense to disappear. We often see people respond to a certain voice or song when they haven’t been responding to other stimulation. We treat every patient as though they can hear our voices, even if it may not look like they can. How much time is left? The answer to this is complex and different for every person and is impossible to answer accurately. Please refer to the previous page for more information on how your care team assesses common signs at the end of life. Why are they so sleepy? Is it the medication? This is a very common question and concern. As a dis- ease progresses and death gets closer, it is normal for a person to become less responsive. While it is true that some medications can make people sleepy, it is usually not the only cause. It can be a difficult balance to achieve wakefulness and symptom management. Please refer to the previous page and/or ask your care team if you have questions regarding medications. Why is their breathing different? What is that gurgle I hear? It is normal to witness changes to breathing as death approaches. We have ways of positioning people so the gurgle or secretions are less obvious. Please refer to the previous page for more information and ask your care team if you have any questions.
END OF LIFE SYMPTOMS
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