In fifteen minutes, that dying person is a lump of compost. You would waste every last minute of that tending to needs that amount to nothing in as little as one second later. The appropriateness of an act of futility is nothing compared to at least addressing the person's afterlife, which is about the only thing left of any relevance at all. I see no reason to worry excessively about making polite conversation to a lump of compost.
By the way, with no offence intended, I have never yet seen someone call another person sanctimonious (self-righteous) who was not guilty of that very thing.
Probably not means possibly so. That's enough reason to try.
Death is staring you in the face right now. Is your acceptance invalid? Whether it's fifteen years or fifteen minutes, it's only a matter of degree. I'm terrified by the thought of living less than a thousand years. From the perspective of the angels, you're practically going to die tomorrow.
As far as the matter of proof is concerned, don't confuse the proof of the matter with the reality of the matter. There are many truths that can never be proved but are no less real.