15 Signs Hospice Nurses Notice When Someone Is Near the End

Near the end of life, hospice nurses may notice that swallowing becomes difficult or unreliable. A person might cough after sips of water, pocket food in the cheeks, or hold liquids in the mouth without swallowing. This is important because it increases the risk of choking or aspiration. Nurses often recommend changing the texture of foods, offering smaller amounts, or stopping oral intake if it is no longer safe or wanted. Comfort becomes the priority. Families may worry that they are “starving” their loved one, but reduced swallowing is usually a sign that the body is no longer able to manage nourishment the same way.