" People progress differently, but I think one of the key signs that someone is reaching the end of their life is when they stop wanting to eat and drink. Whether they’re going to pass away in a week or a month, that’s often the person saying, “I’ve had enough. I don’t want this anymore.” It can be very upsetting for carers and relatives, but studies on patients dying from other illnesses show that it’s not a horrible process, and the last thing you want to do is to start tube feeding people because that’s not really shown to prolong life; it’s about quality of life. If someone stops eating and drinking, the memory has become so bad that people don’t know what food is anymore, so to them, food in their mouth is like a foreign body. They might spit it out, not want to swallow it or forget how to swallow. When someone reaches that stage, that’s a sign that things are probably more imminent. Chest infections or a serious illness can often be a sign as well. "