FEAR OF DEATH AMONG OLDER ADULTS IN HOME ENVIRONMENT

Objective: The objective of the research was to determine the influence of social support on the degree of anxiety and fear of death among older adults and to determine the order of significance of their needs in the last moments of life. Partial objectives were to determine the influence of various types of social support on the degree of anxiety and fear of death among older adults and the influence of gender and age on anxiety and fear of death. Sample and methods: The present quantitative research was based on three standardized questionnaires. J. A. Blumenthal Perceived Social Support Scale (PSSS), Beck Anxiety Inventory, and Collet-Lester Fear of Death Scale (FODS). The research sample consisted of 228 respondents, of which 112 were men and 116 were women, aged over 65 years living in a home environment. The age range of the respondents was 65 to 86 years. The research was conducted from November 2013 to February 2015. Results: The results indicated a significant negative correlation between the degree of social support and anxiety, and between the degree of social support and fear of death in older adults. Social support was confirmed as a significant factor reducing anxiety and fear of death in older adults. Social support provided by healthcare professionals was the most significant in reducing fear of death; social support provided by the family showed to be the most effective in reducing anxiety. A significantly higher degree of fear of death was observed in women. In men, on the contrary, a significantly higher degree of anxiety was observed. The most important needs in the last moments of life of older adults were the need to die in peace and dignity, the need not to be alone, the need to participate in decisions concerning the care provided to them, and the need for privacy and intimacy.