10/30/2026
💜 What Families May Notice Near the End of Dementia
One of the hardest questions families caring for someone with advanced dementia may eventually ask is:
“How will I know when we may be getting closer to the end?”
There is no exact timeline. Every person’s journey with dementia is different. However, as dementia becomes very advanced, families may begin noticing changes such as:
💜 Sleeping much more
💜 Spending less time awake or alert
💜 Eating and drinking less
💜 Increasing difficulty swallowing
💜 Becoming less interested in food
💜 Speaking very little or no longer speaking
💜 Becoming increasingly dependent on others for personal care
💜 Moving less and spending more time in bed
💜 Having less awareness of surroundings
💜 Responding less to voices, touch, or activity around them
💜 Changes in breathing as the end of life approaches
An important reminder: New or sudden changes should not automatically be assumed to be dementia progression. Illness, infection, dehydration, medication effects, pain, and other medical problems can cause significant changes, too.
Contact your loved one’s healthcare team when something new or concerning occurs.
As a person approaches the final stages of life, the focus of care may increasingly shift toward comfort, dignity, symptom management, familiar surroundings, and supporting both the individual and their family.
Families should not have to navigate these changes alone. Talk with your loved one’s healthcare, palliative care, or hospice team about what you are seeing, what may be happening, and ways to keep your loved one as comfortable as possible.
💜 At Abode Home Care, we understand dementia care.
Our non-medical home care team can provide compassionate assistance with everyday needs and help families support their loved ones at home while preserving dignity, comfort, routine, and quality of life.
📞 Abode Home Care, LLC
Serving families throughout Northwest Indiana
Compassionate care. Dignified support. Helping families care for the people they love.
