As the estate planning process begins, many clients learn about Tube Feeding or the technical name “Artificial Nutrition and Hydration” for the first time. Here are my top tips and facts about tube feeding. *** Disclaimer I am not a physician, and this article is from the viewpoint of an Estate Planning attorney only this is not medical advice.
A. Helpful Things to Know
1 . Decreasing and or eliminating food (nutrition) and fluid (hydration) is a natural part of the dying process. Many people experience a decrease or a lack of interest in food or drink. This is not painful this is a normal part of the process.
2. Most people don’t experience or feel hunger or even thirst as they pass away.
3. Giving Artificial Nutrition and Hydration can actually have the opposite effect you want it to have. Often tube feeding can cause vomiting, nausea, respiratory congestion, restlessness, shortness of breath, and even choking.
B. Things to do Instead (at the proper advice of hospice, doctors, or other medical providers):
- If it is early in the dying process, ice chips or even popsicles;
- Put lip moisturizer on their lips or a doctor-approved product like artificial saliva; and
- Mist their mouth, use a moist cloth, or use a swab to wipe the mouth.
C. Additional Matters
One additional matter to consider is that, in many instances, the use of artificial nutrition and hydration can be a religious matter.
For example, the Catholic Church provides several healthcare documents specific to Texas here: https://txcatholic.org/preparing-for-end-of-life-care-advance-planning-documents/
Another example is the Muslim religion. Here is an article that discusses things to think about before finalizing your documents. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3516111/
Lastly, if you know articles that might help our clients or community, please reach out to our office so that we can add them to this article. We are not able to opine on religious matters, so please understand we share these articles as discussion points, not as absolutes of any religious matter.
The most important takeaway is to start talking about your healthcare directive, plus artificial nutrition and hydration, with your loved ones, doctors, and religious leaders.
