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Barb53 Asked February 2019

I’m trying to get a grasp on how close to death he is.

My friend is 92. Lives in SCF with dementia. He has been on puréed foods for a year now. But has recently declined. Had a bout with CHF couple weeks ago and hasn’t bounced back. Pretty much having to use the sit and stand 90% of the time. Has been incontinent for awhile. I feed him lunch and dinner. Had been eating breakfast ok until the last week, now can’t do that. Gets up about 8-9a, sleeps from 1-4ish, back to bed by 630 for the whole night. My concerns are for the first time in years he told me he was downstairs with his dad. Then today he was mumbling and sounded like he was talking to his wife who passed 18 months ago. He said her name a couple times but I couldn’t pick up the rest. He has never mentioned her name since the funeral. Last night his hands were curled up frozen in a fist. I know he is coming to the end. My question is from your experience does it sound like he is weeks or months away? I appreciate your insight.

Barb53 Feb 2019
Thanks! I put him on hospice a month ago. I’ll try to meet up with the nurse. Sometimes she comes when I am not there. I’m there 6 days a week from 1130-630! And yes, he knows who I am and does appreciate it.

Veronica91 Feb 2019
Never an easy thing to evaluate because everyone is different.. An experienced hospice nurse could give you a good idea

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Segoline Feb 2019
You are a good friend OP. I am certain he appreciates it although perhaps unable to articulate.

cwillie Feb 2019
It really is impossible to predict, I read somewhere that wen you see a noticeable decline from one month to the next they likely have months, and week to week they may only have weeks. For me I knew that my mother was declining, yet by then she was as dependent as a newborn infant so the changes were more a gut feeling than anything I could definitely name. Trust your instincts.

gladimhere Feb 2019
No one here can answer that question. Is he on hospice? If so, ask them. If not on hospice get him an evaluation.

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