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End of life situation

BJW2025
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My brother has been on palliative care and now classed as end of life since January 2025. He lives over 3 hours away and  is being cared for at home with carers and district nurses. Bedridden since January. I visit at weekends as often as possible and am due to visit next weekend again. He has now, however, stopped eating, can’t swallow tablets and morphine is to be on a driver. ( my nephew has advised this today). Although I can’t travel this weekend, realistically is he likely to pass before next weekend. I need to try to sort plans off work etc to travel. My nephew finds it difficult to discuss

  • Hello and thank you for posting.

    I am so sorry to hear about your brother.

    It is difficult to say how quickly now things may change as everyone is so different.

    I wonder if your nephew struggles to talk it may be useful for you to speak to one of the nurses over the phone. Then you can explain the situation.

    Time at the end of life can change day by day even hour by hour, so giving a general answer to your question is hard, but certainly, if he has now stopped eating and needs a morphine syringe driver he is entering the final phase of his life. It might be worth talking to work and making all the arrangements so things are easier to 'drop and go'.

    Do take care of yourself and if you want to talk to the nurses on our helpline on 0808 800 4040. Lines are open mon-fri, 9-5. 

    Sarah.

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