As the course of the disease progresses until its irreversible state, the patient’s food intake will gradually decrease, followed by a loss of appetite, inability to swallow and weight loss. These are all natural phenomena.
Family members should respect the wishes of the patient and offer them what they want to eat according to the patient's preferences. At the end of life, when the patient refuses to eat, carers should also respect their choices, so that the patient can go through the process more comfortably and safely.
When the patient does not want or cannot eat, family members can express their care in different ways, such as:
- Applying moisturising cream to the patient's dry skin
- Moistening the patient’s mouth with water
- Massaging the patient gently
- Talking to patients about the past, listening to music or watching TV with them.
- Spending quiet time together
