Final answer:
As death nears, one may experience unresponsiveness, mottling of the skin, restlessness, weakness, incontinence, dryness, and exhaustion. Biological changes include alterations in blood chemistry, body temperature, and heart function. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross described the psychological process of accepting death in five stages: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.
Step-by-step explanation:
The physical changes that occur as death approaches can be significant. Some of the symptoms one may experience include unresponsiveness, where a person may no longer react to their environment or stimuli, and mottling, which is a discoloration of the skin, often seen in the lower extremities due to reduced blood flow. Restlessness can occur as the body's systems become less stable.
Weakness and incontinence are common as the body's muscles and control mechanisms fail. It's also not uncommon for individuals to experience dryness, wrinkling, and looseness of skin, as well as exhaustion and collapse due to overall decline in bodily functions.
As one approaches the end of life, biological changes can include a rise in the non-protein nitrogen of blood, increased plasma protein concentration and of chloride, a rise in body temperature due to a reduction in circulating fluid, increased pulse rate and reduced cardiac output. Social and psychological changes towards death have been described in the five stages of grief developed by Dr. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, which include denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. These stages do not necessarily occur in order and not everyone experiences all of them.
During the late adulthood stage, physical changes such as loss of muscle mass, decreased mobility, and diminished senses like smell, taste, hearing, and vision become more pronounced. Cognitive declines can include problems with memory, potential dementia, or Alzheimer's disease.