If a resident is dying, visits are needed more than ever. No one wants to die alone. Continue your pattern of touching. If you are uncomfortable visiting a dying resident, ask the charge nurse, director of nursing, or social worker if you can discuss the matter. They will either help you or find someone who can.
Many residents are able to leave a home for a meal, a day, a weekend, or a holiday.
This assures them they are still part of the family or community. In addition, it may reinforce the benefits the nursing home affords. The difficulty of bathrooms and steps that are not designed for handicapped people may become all too apparent. If you plan to take a resident out of the home, plan first with the resident. Then decide which of you will tell the staff so they can have medicines and special equipment ready.