Ill or dying??

[Gh0stwalk]

I'm hoping there are other people who have been through similar. 87 year old dad has deteriorated rapidly over the last year. Last Christmas, he was still driving and living totally independently. Three hospital stays this year due to various age related ailments. This Christmas - I had to move him to a care home last week, as he couldn't get out of bed, even with help. Just not strong enough I think, rather than anything medically wrong. GP did visit.
On Monday I thought the care home was really helping - he seemed bright and cheery. Today he was fast asleep when I visited, and could barely stay awake while I was there. Last and only previous time I've seen him literally fall asleep mid-conversation was in hospital. No appetite today, which is unusual, although he did eventually manage a bit of lunch. He said he wasn't in any pain. He takes a cocktail of tablets for various conditions such as heart failure, kidney failure, diabetes.
I'm wondering if he's on his way out. I feel torn - do I call the GP tomorrow if he's still the same, and risk him ending up in hospital, and prolonging his life with no quality of life. If he's naturally close to dying, I'd rather he remained comfortable in the home. Maybe I'm overreacting and it's normal to have really tired days when you're 87!! The carers seem lovely, but not particularly concerned, so maybe I am overreacting.

How hard OP. I think your instinct is right though...to leave him alone. If he's not in pain that's the main thing....he's just tired. He may rally though...it could just be that he's exhausted with the change of moving.

Call the GP and get his probable end of life status formalised precisely so that he doesn’t end up going to hospital! They can write him a DNAR and stop his medications, but more importantly they can also check him over for any easily treatable reversible cause, such as a UTI or chest infection.

If the staff find him passed away in his room without the proper paperwork they will have to attempt CPR which would likely be futile and traumatic for all involved.

Get the GP out ASAP and get the ceiling of care identified properly. GP doesn’t equal hospital if it’s not an appropriate place for your Dad.

And I wouldn’t rely on carers who have known him a week to be able to pick up on any significant change in his presentation, think about all the potential shift changes in that time frame, a lot of the staff may have only met him once as yet.

My father had a suddenly decline last November, from independent to unable to weight bear, and has been in a nursing home since March. He spends a lot of time asleep. I think he's on the way out, but I'm not expecting it to be soon - months, or even years.

He's older then yours, by the way.

Thank you all. DSis rang him this morning and he sounded much better than yesterday, so that's a relief. Still barely able to walk strength-wise, but the fatigue seems to have massively improved. I will speak to the care home and GP about what their procedures are thank you @QueenofPain, as I still think we are on the downward slide and I want to make it as comfortable as possible for him.
I think a DNR would be a good idea, but I don't know if I can bring it up as I think he thinks he is going to recover. He still hasn't admitted that he will never drive again, let alone anything else. I don't think he will leave the care home now, but I'm not going to force him to make the decision and confront the fact it's 'forever' - I'm just going to suggest he stays a bit longer, as it was only originally agreed a week's respite. It must be so hard to admit to yourself though, that this is it, that your health is only going to get worse, I really feel for him.
Goodness @MereDintofPandiculation, it's tough isn't it. I really hope, for his sake and mine, he doesn't last years. It isn't much of a life for him.