Julie McFadden, a hospice nurse, has expressed her view on the hardest way to die. In her profession, she provides comfort to adults approaching the end of life and witnesses their final moments. The 39-year-old from Los Angeles focuses on ensuring that patients are comfortable before they pass away. She observes that each person’s experience is different, with many having ‘visioning’ experiences about a month before death, where they see deceased loved ones.
Julie McFadden, a seasoned hospice nurse, explains that end-of-life ‘visioning’ is both common and comforting, differing from delirium or paranoia. She notes that more than half of her patients experience such visions, which often ease their fear of dying, particularly when they feel visited by a deceased loved one. During these moments, patients remain aware and lucid, often describing the experiences as dream-like encounters.
Julie McFadden, a hospice nurse, believes ALS (known as Motor Neurone Disease in the UK) is the most harrowing way to die. Speaking on the Problem Solved podcast, she mentioned that if she were diagnosed with ALS, she might opt for medically assisted death. The NHS defines MND as a neurological disease that causes muscle weakening and has no cure, though there are treatments to manage its effects on daily life. MND typically shortens lifespan and is fatal. McFadden uses her TikTok account, @hospicenursejulie, to demystify death and offer comfort to others.