Analysis of fear of death in homes for the elderly

Abstract

There is little research in the field of fear of death in homes for the elderly, where fear of death is often overlooked. The study aims to investigate to what extent and aspects of fear of death are present in older people living in long-term institutional care. The quantitative study included 200 participants aged 65 and more from 17 homes for the elderly in Slovenia. We used the Multidimensional Fear of Death Scale (MFODS) for measuring fear of death. First, we examined different aspects of fear of death in terms of demographic characteristics. The results suggested that older participants show less fear of premature death but more fear of the dead than younger ones, that women are more afraid of the dead than men, and that those with higher education show less fear of the dying process. Additionally we measured how the desire and opportunities for conversation after experiencing the death of fellow resident, acquaintance, or friend are reflected on the fear of death. Expressing the desire for conversation indicated higher fear of the unknown, premature death, fear for significant others and fear of the dying process. In caring for the mental health and psychological well-being of the elderly living in institutional care, fear of death and its distress should not be ignored due to their negative impact on wellbeing of the elderly.