Signs of approaching death
Days to weeks : increasing weakness and sleep, reduced intake, withdrawal from surroundings.. Days to hours : minimal intake, difficulty swallowing, disorientation, mottling of knees and feet, cool extremities, reduced urine output, terminal secretions.. Hours : irregular breathing with apneic pauses, Cheyne-Stokes pattern, unresponsiveness, fixed gaze, jaw relaxation. Hearing is thought to persist. Speak to the person, name yourself, explain what you are doing. Reduced intake is part of dying, not a cause of it. Artificial feeding at this stage adds burden without benefit.