Hi. My father has been dying for a few years but seems immortal. He has trouble eating now. Today, I reheated some lima beans for him. He coughs often with eating and was per usual. But, then he stopped coughing but was still making the motions one does when they're trying to cough. He looked to be in distress. I asked, "Are you choking?" I said nothing. He didn't shake his head either way. I then asked, "Can you breathe?" Again, nothing. I told him "Stand up. I'm going to give you the Heimlich." I said it again, and he stood up. I made three thrusts under his rib cage by standing behind him. Nothing came out but he started to cough. I then turned to face him and could see his mouth was full of food. I picked up the plate and said, "Spit it out." This time, he shook his head no and kept chewing. He couldn't explain anything but later, when I asked again, he said, "I couldn't swallow." I've heard this is common with the dying especially those with dimentia but did I do the right thing? I followed the protocol for people choking but he can't communicate normally.
Not remembering how to swallow, I'm told, is a sign of late stage dementia.