The End of the Dying Process

Before funerals at funeral homes in Solvay, NY, our loved ones may die suddenly or unexpectedly. When this happens, we’re unprepared and we often go into a type of shock emotionally and mentally. Our bodies do this naturally when we are overwhelmed.

However, when we have loved ones who are dying from a chronic or terminal illness, their bodies also go through a natural and orderly process as the end of life nears.

When death is near, the body naturally starts an orderly shutdown process. There are very specific signs that we can observe in our loved ones that can let us know that the end of their lives is near. Not all people will go through all of these in a way that’s recognizable and these signs may not appear in a specific order.

The prelude to the actual dying process may start several months in advance. One thing that signals that death is in the near future is that our loved ones may start sleeping a lot. The body is preparing for the shutdown phase, so energy is being conserved.

The actual dying process has two distinct stages. The first stage is the preactive phase of dying. This usually begins a few weeks before death occurs. However, since no one can control or knows when death will actually occur. Contrary to popular belief, no one “waits” for someone to come to see them before they die, and no one “decides” when they will die. That moment is out of our reach as humans.

In the preactive phase of dying, there may be several signs that our loved ones will exhibit. These include, but are not limited to:

• More confusion, agitation, and restlessness – This often manifests itself as a flurry of activity that is non-stop and requires that we as caregivers be at the ready because our loved ones can’t stay still for more than a few minutes at a time.
• More sleeping and sluggishness – Our loved ones may sleep or be sluggish most of the day and night. Wake time may be limited to just a few minutes here and there.
• Withdrawal from social interaction – When people visit, our loved ones may either be silent, turn away, or go to sleep. This type of interaction requires a lot of energy that our loved ones don’t have.
• Reduced intake of nourishment – Our loved ones may eat or drink very little. Since the body is shutting down, it doesn’t require a lot of fuel.
• Periods of apnea (awake or asleep) – These are distinct pauses in breathing where our loved ones may not inhale or exhale for a noticeable period of time.

The second stage of dying is the active of phase of dying. This stage generally lasts about three days, but it can be a few days less or more from person to person. Signs of active dying include:

• Coma or semi-coma – Our loved ones either cannot be aroused to wakefulness at all, or can be aroused for a brief period of time with great effort.
• Noticeable breathing changes – These can be fast to slow or slow to fast, shallow to deep or deep to shallow.
• Dropping blood pressure – This is usually a 20 to 30% decrease from our loved one’s normal blood pressure.
• Extremities are cold to the touch – As blood flow slows, the hands and feet of our loved ones get very cold.
• Cessation of all eating and drinking – The body no longer needs food or drink (and our loved one may be either in a coma or semi-coma, which means normal swallowing is impossible), so any offers will be refused.

For more information about the dying process at funeral homes in Solvay, NY, our compassionate and experienced team at Bagozzi Twins Funeral Home, Inc. is here to help you. You can visit our funeral home at 2601 Milton Ave., Solvay, NY 13209, or you can call us today at (315) 468-2431.