Kenneth Glad
Discussions about death often remain uncomfortable for many people. But for those working in hospice and critical care, witnessing the final stages of life is a routine part of the job.
One nurse in the United States recently drew attention online after describing a phenomenon she says caregivers often observe as patients approach death.
Newsner reported on the comments, which were shared by the nurse in a TikTok video discussing common end-of-life experiences.
Visions near death
Healthcare workers in palliative care have long reported that some patients speak about seeing people or places that others in the room cannot. These experiences are often referred to as end-of-life visions.
Katie Duncan, a Maryland-based nurse who has worked in intensive care and hospice settings, says she has encountered these moments repeatedly throughout her career.
Patients sometimes describe seeing relatives, friends, or even pets who died earlier in their lives.
“Sometimes this is associated with what we call end-of-life visions or other end-of-life experiences – when someone will actually vocalize that they are seeing someone or something.”
According to Duncan, these reports can occur shortly before death and are often described calmly by the patient.
A gesture caregivers notice
Alongside those visions, Duncan says she has frequently noticed a specific physical movement.
Some patients, writes Newsner, suddenly lift their arms upward, stretching their hands into the air as though reaching for something beyond the room.
“In my personal experience working with people who are dying, this reaching towards someone or something above them is really common,” she explained. “You will literally see the person reach up, and almost look like they are trying to touch someone or hold someone’s hand.”
Caregivers sometimes see the motion happen at the same time patients say they are seeing someone familiar.
“Very commonly, it is a loved one or family member or pet, someone who has died before,” Duncan said. “And the person who is dying is vocalising that they’re seeing this person.”
Witnessing the final stage
For hospice workers, these moments can stand out as some of the most emotional parts of caring for someone at the end of life.
Duncan says the experience is something many caregivers quietly recognize from their work with dying patients.
“It’s one of those mystical parts of the dying process that we are able to be a witness to,” she said.
She also noted that patients usually appear calm during these moments rather than distressed. For families and caregivers, such experiences can sometimes suggest that the final stage of life may bring a sense of comfort or peace.
Source: Newsner
