Hospice nurse Julie McFadden has shed light on two distinct facial changes that occur as people approach the end of their lives.
Through her YouTube channel, dedicated to topics such as ‘death, dying and hospices’, Julie revealed: “Actively dying usually lasts anywhere from a few hours to a few days. The longest I’ve seen someone actively dying is three weeks, which is very uncommon.”
She noted ‘actively dying’ often spans about three days, during which “their face will look a little different, because their eyes will likely be open or partially opened, but not making eye contact with you.”
In addition to eye behaviour, she added another signal is that “Their mouth will usually be open, and this is because your eyes and mouth it takes muscles to close your eyes and mouth, to blink, to hold your eye shut, to hold your mouth shut.”
Alongside these observations by Julie, the NHS also provides guidance on what individuals may experience in their final moments.
They highlighted that as people approach the end of life, they will notice increasing fatigue, explaining: “You’ll start to feel more tired and drowsy, and have less energy. You’ll probably spend more time sleeping, and as time goes on you’ll slip in and out of consciousness,” reports Surrey Live.
Additionally, they pointed out that a reduced desire to eat and drink is common during this period, partly because the body’s ability to process food diminishes as death nears.
Alongside these distressing symptoms, due to circulatory issues, individuals may also feel a chill in their extremities like hands and feet towards their final days.
Meanwhile, the NHS have also pinpointed another key sign that someone might be reaching the end of their life, as they explained changes in breathing: “Your breathing may become less regular. You may develop Cheyne-Stokes breathing, when periods of shallow breathing alternate with periods of deeper, rapid breathing.”
“The deep, rapid breathing may be followed by a pause before breathing begins again.”
For further details on end-of-life care, the NHS website offers comprehensive information.