Could this ever happen in England?

shocked222

I'm really sorry to say this but it has happened to my Aunt in Scotland who died of cancer. She lasted a week, and it was as, you say, to speed up her passing. Her immediately family were fine with it but I felt weird about it. In England, the doctors tried to do this to my grandmother after she had a stroke, they just stopped feeding her. My aunt took her home and she is still alive, despite the fact they said "it was just a matter of time."

System

Shocked222 how awful. Its ironic that a country who doesnt support assisted suicide could withdraw fluids/nutrients to speed a persons 'passing'. I do hope your aunt was comatose at the time.

I have no problem withdrawing sustinance as long as the person is in a coma and isnt likely to come out of it but it still reeks of hypocrisy to me.

londonsurrey

Yes, it does happen. We're not allowed euthanasia for humans, but we can allow them prolonged deaths in this manner. Go figure.

Person_one

A lot of people in their very last days, especially with cancer, don't want to eat anything, their body is shutting down.

There is nothing in the Liverpool care pathway about starving patients to death! It exists to make dying as comfortable and pain free as possible.

anon123456

When my grandmother passed away at home in an installed hospital bed the last two weeks of her life her mind just went. The desicion was made between her daughter and the medical profession to withhold food and water to let her pass in piece.

We as a family all supported that decision and to this day consider what we did humane and right.

HeatherintheHills

The Liverpool Care Pathway does, however, state that it "does not preclude the use of clinically assisted nutrition or hydration".

I find it interesting that there is a need to specify that in their guide for health professionals. It is like saying yes, you are allowed to feed and hydrate your dying patient, indicating that the accepted position for final stage palliative care is that hydration and nutrition are withdrawn.

In these days or over stretched medical staff it isn't difficult to imagine that any short cut "allowed" is taken, sadly. The withdrawal of hydration and nutrition may have more to do with a doctor's signature on a care review form than the patient reaching that final stage where the body withdraws from food and water naturally.

clairehi

In my dad's last few days, when he was barely conscious, he was on a drip to hydrate him, which kept falling out. the specialist palliative care nurse then advised to withdraw this as she said that it would just cause him to swell up with the extra water? we had little sponges on sticks to help keep his lips moist and clean areound his mouth.

having read this thread I now hope this was the correct advice.

Jussy

Clairehi

I'm so sorry that you are now concerned about the care given to your dad, please don't be - the fluid from the drip could have increased pressure on his heart, whereas good mouth care (including the little sponges on sticks) would have made your dad feel much more comfortable.

Jussy

walby1993

My mum used to work in a hospital giving patients food, drink and snacks. She was told "not to worry" about those patients on pathway. My mum being my mum ignored the instructions as she couldn't bear the thought of it and tried to get them to eat and drink something, even those who said they didn't want anything. My mum ended up leaving the job as she couldn't bear the pettiness of the majority of nurses and catering staff - one time she was told off for giving an elderly man more than one "pack" of biscuits (which each contained two small biscuits) as each patient was only allowed one, my mum argued that as he was refusing dinner and was going to die soon what harm would it do if he had the extra pack of biscuits?

Uniscots97

Person_one wrote: »

So, a qualified speech and language therapist then?

Trust me, you wouldn't have wanted him to end up with aspiration pneumonia, or to choke to death.

I have to agree with Zaksmum, the person looking after my Grandfather said he was a choking risk too (and she wasn't straight out of uni), it turned out what she was giving him she was giving it way too fast and something he didn't like but because he'd had a stroke he couldn't tell her. When we said, she said WE had to be wrong! I proved a point by bringing his favourite yoghurt (with bits in) and let him hold the pot (so he felt useful) whilst I fed him...... he ate and swallowed it no problems.