A term you may hear during your loved one’s final months of life in hospice is “transitioning.” This term refers to the phase where the body is making its transition into dying. In real life, death (when not sudden) often does not happen all at once like it seems to in the movies. Instead, it happens in stages.
How Long is Transitioning?

The exact length of time transitioning takes place depends on the individual patient and their condition. It can be as short as a few days, or as long as a few weeks. It precedes the active dying stage, which is briefer.
Hearing that your loved one is transitioning can be very painful news, because it means that the end is approaching. But understanding more about transitioning can at least help to alleviate some of the uncertainties you may be feeling.
What Happens Physically During Transitioning?
During transitioning, the body begins the slow process of shutting down. This can include:
- The patient spending more time resting and sleeping.
- Less responsiveness overall.
- Cooler hands and feet.
- Reduced blood pressure.
- Skin tone may take on a slightly cooler hue due to reduced circulation in the extremities.
- The patient’s breathing may slow down and become more shallow, interspersed with pauses. This type of breathing is called “Cheyne-Stokes” breathing.
- Appetite and thirst may decrease or go away entirely.
Sometimes, you might be the first to observe these signs. Other times, one of the hospice staff may report to you that your loved one appears to be transitioning.
What Happens Emotionally During Transitioning?
How individuals respond emotionally to the process of transitioning can vary dramatically depending on their condition, mental alertness, personality, life situation, beliefs and values.
Some people may withdraw and become more inwardly-focused, processing the experience within their minds.
Others may reach out more, trying to connect while they still have the chance or talk through things they haven’t addressed yet with their family and friends.
What Can You Do to Help Your Loved One?
One of the most challenging parts of this experience for a lot of people is not knowing what you can do to help.
Probably the single most important thing you can do is just be present. Simply being in the room with your loved one can bring them more support and comfort than you may know.
If they want to talk, then you can listen and respond. If they don’t, or can’t, you can just spend time with them. You could read to them or play music.
You can also do small things to increase their physical comfort. For example, you can apply lotion or lip balm for them, or give them ice chips.
While all these things may seem small, they can make a huge difference for your loved one in their time of need. You may want to turn to the hospice grief counselor if you are struggling with feelings of helplessness.
Get the Care Your Loved One Needs in TX
Homage Hospice is based in McKinney, TX, and provides hospice services throughout Dallas County, Collin County and Tarrant County. To find out how we can help you and your loved ones, please give us a call at (469) 625-0705 to schedule your hospice consultation.



