Grandad in last stage of life and being denied water?!?

They are denying him water because his stomach probably can't handle it, he might choke or vomt it back up. Get a sponge, wet it, and moisten his lips, inside his mouth cheeks. IThis will make him feel more comfortable. If he is nearing the end, the doctors should have him medicated to ease his suffering, but they are correct, the water will prolong his life if he can actually handle it.

When they near the end of their time with us, people tend to ask for crazy stuff (burrito, popsicle, etc.), but giving it to them will make them feel worse. as the body shuts down, it can't digest any food, and it will come back up. Just try to make him comfortable.

This actually seems quite common practice, I've done a bit of reading. When my grandpa was in hospice care (ten years ago, also in UK), he had no food or water for the last few days. He had a drip for a day or two, but then it was just morphine/sedation. That was a medical decision - not his next of kin (his daughter) - and I still believe that it was the right choice. If he is on constant oxygen and is being sedated, then it must be very near the end - we knew it was near the end when the hospice carers agreed to lie my grandpa on his back (he had bone cancer in his back, which had made lying on his back impossible without morphine/sedation).

Water & food have to be processed by the body, as would any fluids delivered by IV drip, and would most likely make his suffering worse. They are not making him die of thirst (or hunger). They are just trying not to prolong his suffering. And if a doctor has said he has to be nil-by-mouth, then that is a decision that the nurses must follow also. Nurses can get into serious trouble if they don't follow a doctor's order. Believe me, hospice/end of life care nurses know what they are doing. It's their job after all.

The stopping of water/food/any nutrition at all usually means that a person isn't far from death - any sort of nutrition would most likely see a person fight on, and sometimes, withdrawal of food and water, and just providing sedation and pain management is the kindest way to let someone go.

Those nurses are just doing their jobs. That is how it works. Maybe you can ask if it would be fine to use a damp flannel to keep his mouth moist if it is dry. That's what my gran & auntie did for my grandpa in his last hours.

Sounds like the hospice care givers are full of BS. Unless your granddad cannot swallow, there should be no reason for him to be denied water. Ice chips can be given in a spoon to moisten his mouth if he can't swallow water.

Give him some anyway. That, I'm pretty sure should be illegal, even murderers in prison get water when they want.

I say just give him some through a straw and stuff next time you're there, what's the worst that could happen, the nurses and doctors can't really do anything?

If you give him water, it will prolong his suffering. Seems just as cruel to starve and dehydrate him. Wish we had human euthanasia, it would be much more humane.