Monday, June 14, 2010

Fear of Death Among the Elderly--Part One

The worst of all fears is the fear of living.
(Theodore Roosevelt)
Many individuals are terribly afraid to let go of the known and move into a realm of the unknown.
Fears about death itself vary according to individual frameworks. However, common fears have to do with the afterlife.
Many report fearing the unknown and what may or may not await them
If that is an expressed fear of elderly loved ones, this might also be an indirect request to see family members they haven't seen for a long time.
When folks know their time is limited, they are sometimes willing to take emotioal risks they have avoided in the past.
You, as a caregiver, might ask if there's anyone they've been thinking about or anyone they'd like to see.
Some might ask to see or talk with a family member they haven't seen in a while or an old lover or friend from their school years.
Some report having "dream visits" from individuals they long to see or perhaps have unfinished business with.
Some fear talking about death will somehow speed the process. This, of course is not true.
Sincerely,
Sandra -- Caregiver Guru for the Caregivier Generation

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