At the end of life some individuals may feel breathless; this can be very frightening and unsettling, not only for the individual themselves but also for the carers supporting them. These feelings of anxiety can actually then make the breathlessness worse so people caring for the person need to be aware of this.
Things to consider:
- Try and stay calm (even if you don’t feel it) and speak in an even, gentle tone.
- Try to reassure the individual and explain to them in a way that they understand what is happening, give someone to one support until the symptoms ease.
- Look at the position the individual is seated or lying in; does the individual need another pillow to provide more support, does this ease the problem?
- Is the individual hot? Will opening a window or having a fan in place help?
- Can the individual be talked through relaxation techniques to help with their breathing?
- Has the individual got a handheld fan they/you can use to put up to their face?
- Will medication help? There is a tablet called lorazepam that can be placed under the tongue to help relieve anxiety caused by breathlessness