Effects of coming to terms with one's own finiteness in the very old and people with life-limiting illnesses.
With age-related declines or a life-threatening diagnosis the end of one's own life and consequently existential questions may lead to a challenging adaption processes. Current research findings show that addressing death-related issues in terms of theoretical education, individual coping strategies and discussions on death-related topics can initiate personal development and have a positive impact on general well-being: decreased death anxiety, increased psychosocial well-being and lower levels of depression. Few study projects focus on the people who subjectively feel closer to death: people in their forth age and people with life-limiting diseases. Considering the steadily increasing life expectancy, the question arises why exactly this population is insufficiently included in empirical studies. What are the effects of confronting the own end of life and it's machanisms of action? fronting one's own end of life also have positive effects and improve well-being? In cooperation with Centre for Palliative Medicine at the University of Cologne, this project investigates different approaches of confrontation the own end of life, thier effects and experieces and wishes of people aged 80 and over and people with a life-limiting disease.
