Do most elderly actually die in their sleep?

Even doctors can't predict exactly when a person will die, but most people die from an illness that happens over time. Only occasionally do they have a heart attack or something of that nature that takes them in their sleep (which would be the choice of many, but sadly often isn't the case).

If they are very sick for a long time, they often die in a hospital. If you have someone who is close to death and is in pain of any kind, please contact hospice. They can help make the person comfortable in his or her own home, if that is the choice.

If you have more information for us, we could help more, so please feel free to write again.
Carol

If only that was true.. I have lost many loved ones who would have preferred that less painful way to die.

We should be so lucky.

I have two friends who both had fathers with terminal illnesses. They both thought they had a certain amount of time with their fathers. Both gentlemen succumbed to something other than their terminal illness, and much prior to the anticipated time frame. Both of my friends were devastated by the turn of events. It brought home to me that even when we think we know, we do not. Hug your loved ones!

I just lost my dad last week, he was eighty two. He had a pacemaker put in about two months prior. He seemed to be in good shape saying he never felt better. He really took good care of himself and was of sound mind. Why then, did he die in his own bed? I feel robbed of the little time we had left. I still don't know how he died. Checked on him at seven a.m. He was sleeping again at eight he was cold I live with my parents and thought for sure mom would go first due to different illnesses . Now it's just us two. I wonder, is she going to be able to stay in her own home? It's paid for, but the income from what I understand will be reduced now that he's passed. So many questions and my heart went with him, I loved that man so much, he will be missed , he was my rock.

My husband's 97 y.o. Aunt, who's care he managed, died during the night last night, so this question touches very close to home! She went to sleep and went peacefully during the night. She was in a Board and Care home where she had been living over the last year. It was a good passing!

My son is an EMT in a large city. Many people he sees die (I know this sounds awful, but it's true) on the toilet. That's where they find them. When the police go for a welfare check, that's usually where they are.

So much for the facts, at least the facts as he has witnessed. Sure enough, each morning when I'm in the city, I hear the EMT's and police cars going to some house to check on an elderly person. Many are also found on the floor near their beds.

So, dying in your sleep sounds wonderful. Death is not an easy threshold to cross. And it's painful to watch as our elders become someone we don't know. Minute by minute, day by day, week by week, month by month I watch as my own mother loses her personality to this dread dementia. It slowly creeps up, taking away her ability to swallow, her ability to hold a fork/knife; her ability to care for her hygienic needs, and the list goes on. Her ability to be dignified. Even her ability to watch a simple tv show. Her ability to even know she's got dementia!

Some members of my family apparently died in their sleep. Towards the end of their lives they were inactive and were sleeping most of the time, and then their vital functions simply starting shutting down, medical specialists had noted that their skin was getting grayish, and they went peacefully afterward, lying on their backs with their mouths open. I suppose whether they were asleep or unconscious at the time could be a matter of debate.

my mom died in bed. My sister helped her to bathroom around 6 that morning and when we went to give her meds she was gone this was a couple hours after her bathroom visit.

Please do not put "most elderly" in any sentence as each person is unique with unique health concerns. Your parents will die when they die. No one knows for certain, but if you are that concerned put a plastic barrier underneath the sheets as all bodily fluids will be released at time of death.