Hospice and Nursing Homes Blog: Death Rattle, Families, Signs of Dying (Research, ...:
{quote}A crackling, gurgling sound emanating from a dying person’s throat can distress onlookers who have not been prepared for this occurre...
Caregivers and loved ones should be educated regarding the death rattle experience and reassured about the unlikelihood of patients’ pain.
Supporting this need for more education is additional death rattle family research focused on bereaved family members who had witnessed the anxiety of watching a death rattle experience. This study involved 663 questionnaire surveys conducted in 95 palliative care units, Among family members who participated, 46% of respondents had witnessed the death rattle. Of these participants, 66% reported high distress levels, and 53% perceived a strong need for improved death rattle care.
This research concluded that family distress could be reduced by having medical staff lessen patients' symptoms with comprehensive and supportive care strategies. These strategies would include decreasing secretions and uncomfortable smells along with alleviating torment of family members through education.
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