Opening the window after someone dies is a tradition that hasn't died out. All over the world many nurses and families abide by this practice. It is said the souls of ancestors gather at the time of death of a family member and, regardless, this aids the soul transitioning to the next world.
Denmark. When a loved one nears the end of his or her life in Denmark, a special tradition unfolds. It's a simple act – a swift gesture that takes little effort, but says so very much: the opening of a window for “the soul” of the loved one to pass through once they have died.
In parts of Germany and in Belgium, it was long customary to cover mirrors with a white cloth because it was thought that if a person saw his or her image in a mirror after a death in the household, that person would die shortly.
“First hunger and then thirst are lost. Speech is lost next, followed by vision. The last senses to go are usually hearing and touch.”
For years, it's been a rule of thumb among healthcare circles that a dying patient will still retain the ability to hear and understand their surroundings even after all other senses have shut down. “Never assume the person is unable to hear you,” advises the British organization Dying Matters.
Visual or auditory hallucinations are often part of the dying experience. The appearance of family members or loved ones who have died is common. These visions are considered normal. The dying may turn their focus to “another world” and talk to people or see things that others do not see.
Gasping is also referred to as agonal respiration and the name is appropriate because the gasping respirations appear uncomfortable, causing concern that the patient is dyspnoeic and in agony.
When interviewed as research participants, health professionals – and nurses in particular – commonly say that no one should die alone. There are also many cultural references that suggest that to die alone is a bad thing.
Your health team will advise you on the medications that can help with controlling symptoms experienced at the end of life. The person will require washing at least once a day and regular turning every 2-4 hours to protect their skin from developing pressure sores.
It is a common practice to cover the legs as there is swelling in the feet and shoes don't fit. As part of funeral care, the body is dressed and preserved, with the prime focus on the face. Post embalming, bodies are often placed without shoes; hence covering the legs is the way to offer a dignified funeral.
[9–13] Eye closure is an active process and dependent on a functional CNS. Total eye closure is usual in sleep, coma and in death.
Occasionally a funeral director or family liaison officer will advise a family against viewing the body because of bodily injuries or because of decomposition.
They might close their eyes frequently or they might be half-open. Facial muscles may relax and the jaw can drop. Skin can become very pale. Breathing can alternate between loud rasping breaths and quiet breathing.
In the hours before death, most people fade as the blood supply to their body declines further. They sleep a lot, their breathing becomes very irregular, and their skin becomes cool to the touch. Those who do not lose consciousness in the days before death usually do so in the hours before.
The 40 days is an opportunity for judgment before God. It's believed in Eastern Orthodox religions that the soul completes many obstacles known as the aerial toll houses. The soul passes through the aerial realm, which is home to evil spirits.
It isn't clear how long a person who is dying retains awareness of what is going on around them, but research suggests that some degree of awareness may remain even after the person slips from unconsciousness.
Generally speaking, people who are dying need care in four areas: physical comfort, mental and emotional needs, spiritual needs, and practical tasks. Of course, the family of the dying person needs support as well, with practical tasks and emotional distress.
So telling them it's okay to go. That everything will be okay. Gives them comfort. We as caregivers, family, friends, we all reconcile our feelings, our fears and our self doubts, we can find the courage to be present with and for our loved ones, not just physically, but we can do it emotionally and spiritually too.
In the last hours before dying a person may become very alert or active. This may be followed by a time of being unresponsive. You may see blotchiness and feel cooling of the arms and legs. Their eyes will often be open and not blinking.
We enter heaven immediately upon our death, or our souls sleep until the second coming of Christ and the accompanying resurrection.
It can be upsetting or worrying for those around the person to hear their noisy breathing. But it's unlikely to be painful or distressing for the person who's dying. Often they will be unconscious or won't be aware of it.
One of the wildest innovations is “living funerals.” You can attend a dry run of your own funeral, complete with casket, mourners, funeral procession, etc. You can witness the lavish proceedings without having an “out-of-body” experience, just an “out-of-disposable-income” experience.
Periods of rapid breathing, and no breathing for brief periods of time, coughing or noisy breaths, or increasingly shallow respirations, especially in final hours or days of life.