Please can you advise on withdrawal of fluid

[suzy95]

My partner had heart failure diagnosed by the GP two days ago. He is already in an advanced state of AD. He is sleeping deeply most of the time but yesterday was eating liquidised food and drinking a bit. He only coughed once, can still swallow and is able to cough. Overall, he's quite strong. Today when I visited the home I was told he couldn't have food or drink in case he choked and then gets pneumonia. He is so obviously thirsty. Surely it's better to die of pneumonia and not thirsty? I share power of attorney with his daughter. Does anybody know if the care home has a legal right to just withdraw fluid?

 

[mhw]

You need to talk to the gp, and this discussion on eol comfort care should have pre arranged between them and you/family . Fluids can be with held at the end under instruction by the gp or hospice, but usually if its a matter of hours. But it doesn't sound as if this is the case, even if they are worried about aspiration which doesn't necessarily need to be actual choking, they can hold fluid food in the throat and breathe particles into the lungs not swallow wrong etc. If he's lucid enough to be expressing a dry mouth, glycerin and lemon mouth swabs should used to help, the nursing staff should know and offer these. You really need to talk to the gp who has ordered nil by mouth asap

 

[Lawson58]

You need to talk to the gp, and this discussion on eol comfort care should have pre arranged between them and you/family . Fluids can be with held at the end under instruction by the gp or hospice, but usually if its a matter of hours. But it doesn't sound as if this is the case, even if they are worried about aspiration which doesn't necessarily need to be actual choking, they can hold fluid food in the throat and breathe particles into the lungs not swallow wrong etc. If he's lucid enough to be expressing a dry mouth, glycerin and lemon mouth swabs should used to help, the nursing staff should know and offer these. You really need to talk to the gp who has ordered nil by mouth asap

Just a comment that coughing is frequently associated with heart failure. Whether the cough is from problems with the swallow or the heart failure needs to sorted as soon as possible. I would think that as your husband is still thirsty then his body needs the fluids.

This is a dreadful situation. My husband has advanced heart failure and has had a severe cough for a long time. Apparently, fluid can build up on the lungs and the cough is the body trying to clear the airways.

 

[suzy95]

So grateful to you both. Was more assertive this morning and spoke to a different member of staff. He gave me a small sponge on a stick and clean flannels to dip in squash. I'm also discreetly using a small teaspoon. He is swallowing it all fine. Thank you again.