Important Note This is a general overview of some of the symptoms a dying person may experience near the end of life. Individual experiences are influenced by many factors, including the person’s illness(es) and medications, but some changes are common. For some people, the dying process may last weeks; for others, it may last a few days or hours. As death approaches, you may notice some of the changes listed below. Because patients start hospice care at different stages of their illness, they may have some or none of these symptoms when they begin hospice care. Patients who are admitted to hospice earlier in their illness may not experience any symptoms for many months.
This summary, originally written for HFA by William Lamers, MD, has been revised and updated several times, most recently in 2024 by Angela Novas, MSN, RN, CRNP, ACHPN, hospice and palliative care consultant for HFA.
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