Common people may think that after the leaves and stems of the orchid started to fall off and shrink, they certainly will pick it up and throw them away in the garbage can, but wait that orchid is not died yet!!
The orchid below is where I found it in the trash can in my grandpa's house that he committed it is died.
Even though the leaves and stem of the orchid are fall off and shrink, it doesn't mean that the whole plant is died, because this is just a process that the plant sacrifice part of its body that is unwanted and turn it in to nutrients for growing new buds.
Example:
Far View of the orchid (Leaves falling off and stems shrinking )
Side View
Closer view
( See the shrinking stems at the back, the orchid is using the nutrient that it get from the stems to the new bud )
Closer View ( Different angle )
( Another way to check if your orchid is died or not is by looking at their roots )
Closer View ( Different Angle )
Closer View ( Different angle )
( See the roots are still growing )