• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.204-211
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• 2011

Purpose: This study used a nonequivalent control group pre-post test design to analyze how a death preparation education program helps middle-aged adults deal with life and death anxiety. Methods: We studied 83 adults at the age of 40 to 65 years. An experimental group of 38 people participated in the death preparation education, and a control group of 45 people did not. The death preparation program comprising four sections was given for four hours per week, and the program ran for 11 weeks. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, t-test, ${\chi}^2$ test, Fisher's exact test, and ANCOVA using SPSS version 17.0. Results: The death anxiety score of the experimental group was significantly lower than that of the control group (P<0.000). The quality of life did not show significant difference between the experimental and control groups (P=0.188). Conclusion: It was confirmed that the death preparation education program is effective in alleviating death anxiety. Although the program was confirmed as a necessity for the middle-aged adults, repeated observations with a wider range of experimental group is needed to collect objective and solid data. Death preparation education for middle-aged adults is expected to be more widely provided, starting from local health facilities.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.283-299
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• 2013

This study has been performed to identify meanings of good deaths among 350 old people aged 65 from September, 2010 until February, 2011. In this study, the subjects were asked about good meanings of death based on qualitative study of free format, and their statements were categorized into similar content areas. The results show that first, the subjects felt that the good death is a dignity death not weighing burdens to others, memorized as a good life, until th end of my life, a death receiving at home, comfortable death, a death like a sleep, with out pain, not long, a prepared process, a death after doing my best, receiving after doing my best, death after offering benevolence to others, within my beliefs, and finally a good death is after seeing good life of my descendent. These 16 free answers were also categorized into 6 meaningful areas such as considering others, at my home, comfortable scene, prepared, and death after living my wanted time.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.199-208
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• 2009

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of death preparing education on death anxiety and meaning of life for volunteers. Methods: Data collection and intervention were carried out from January 11 to 25, 2009. The subjects included 60 volunteers in Jeonju city, and they were divided into two groups; 30 each of experimental group and control group. Death preparing education program contained 5 steps. Data were analyzed with t-test, $x^2$-test, and ANCOVA test with SPSS version 12.0. Results: The death anxiety scores in the experimental group were significantly lower than in the control group (F=4.01, P=0.046). The meaning of life scores in the experimental group were significantly higher than in the control group (F=6.32, P=0.015). Conclusion: The death preparing education program for volunteers was confirmed to be an effective intervention to lessen death anxiety and to improve the meaning of life. Therefore, I strongly recommend that this program should generously be applied to volunteers.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.34-44
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• 2016

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to identify a theoretical basis of end-of-life care by examining attributes of the concept of the nurses' acceptance of patient deaths. Methods: Walker and Avant's approach to concept analysis was used. A literature study was performed to check the usage of the concept. To identify the attributes of the concept and come up with an operational definition, we analyzed 16 qualitative studies on nurses' experiences of death of patients, published in a national science magazine from 1999 to 2015. Results: The nurses' acceptance of death of patients was identified as having four attributes: acceptance through mourning, attaining insight on life and death while ruminating life, facing with fortitude and practicing human dignity. Antecedents of the concept were experiences of patient's death, confusion and conflict, negative emotions, passive responses, denial of patients' death. The consequences of the concept were found as the holistic end-of-life care and active pursuit of life. Conclusion: This study on the attributes of the concept of the nurses' acceptance of death of patients and it's operational definition will likely lay the foundation for applicable end-of-life care mediations and theoretical development.

• Journal of Korean Philosophical Society
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• v.139
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• pp.239-263
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• 2016

Today manny contemporaries struggle to live because they disregard essential matters and indulge in materialism. They should not pursue wealth and prosperity and ought to find true meaning of life by studying death where one can reveal the essence of life. Zhuang Zi transcended death. His view of death is magnificent. This dissertation has ruminated on how contemporaries live and established righteous view of life and death on the basis of that. In addition, this study has researched what implications his view of death suggests to us today. There is no study as good as death. There is no great teacher as good as death in life. Studying death is studying a life. We can find life meaning and value through death. The matter of death is prone to be thought that a solution can be got only though existing religions. However, when it comes to Zhuang Zi's death, the matter of death can be resolved, not relying on religions. Zhuang Zi has played a role of our taking death in a positive way and relieving the fear of death. He has taught us that it is well off to adapt to the change of nature, leading to meeting our death in comfort.

• 한국노년학
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.785-808
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• 2016

This study portraits the way of self-preparation for death among the elderly and examines the meaning and values attached to the elderly-care by their family and friends through the analysis of Kyung-ran Jo's novels. First, the author describes the difficulties and inner conflict of women who provide care for the elderly, especially those facing death in the near future. She also describes how the acceptance of death and self-discovery among the caregivers can be developed from the experience of long term care. These are consistent with the arguments by Ecofemnist on positive sides of providing caregiving in an aging society. In her novels, caregiving from young women is not described as the consequences of internalized gender norms of traditional Confucian culture. Rather, it is depicted as attitude toward a life in a commune where the meaning of life and death of elderly is shared between generations. In addition, struggles of the elderly figures against diseases and the process of their death provide an opportunity for young caregivers to overcome the trauma of other's death witnessed in their childhood. They lead the young caregivers to reflect themselves by raising ontologistic questions on life and death. The author shows the communication between generations presenting the self-preparation of death from the old generation undergoing irreversible aging and caregiving activities of significant others from the young generation. In doing so, the author points out the ethical grounds for diseases and death in old age given the condition of personalization of death in the modern society.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.20-27
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• 2011

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Death Education Program which had been provided to family caregivers of disabled individuals. A single group pretest-posttest design was employed for this study, which was conducted at a community rehabilitation center located in Ulsan, South Korea. Methods: Death Education Program was conducted for 16 family caregivers of disabled individuals who agreed to participate in this study. A 2.5-hour session was conducted once a week for 10 weeks. To investigate the effects of the education program, structured questionnaires, which assessed the patients and their family member's conceptions on the meaning of life, and their resilience, burden, and attitude towards death, were administered before and after the program. Results: The subjects' conception of the meaning of life and resilience did not significantly change. The median scores for the burden of family caregivers declined, while those for the subjects' attitude towards death increased, after attending the education program. Conclusion: The findings showed that Death Education Program has an affirmative effect on the burden of family caregivers of disabled individuals and their attitude towards death.

• 한국노년학
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.1-14
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• 2011

The purpose of this study is to develop a research model and to verify the effects death anxiety has on subjective health status, economic status, depression and social support for the elders and their quality of life. The survey targeting 330 elders from the 17 senior citizen centers in Dong-do-chun and Nam-yang-ju city was carried out from 2008.8.1 to 2008.9.31. To summarise the research result, 6 hypotheses among 9 hypotheses concerning the direct effects were supported. In another words, health status, depression and social support are valid and the direct effect of depression, social support and death anxiety are valid as subjective quality of life as an endogenous variable. In the case of indirect effects, 2 indirect effects among all 4 indirect effect hypotheses are valid. In another words, the effect the subjective health status has on the subjective quality of life is valid as the mediating effects of death anxiety and the effect depression has on the subjective quality of life is also valid as the mediating effects of death anxiety. Based on the results of this study, a proposal to reduce death anxiety among the elderly is suggested.

• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 2021

Using structural equation modeling, this study sought to examine the structural causality between elderly age norms, social activities, and life satisfaction and to determine the moderating effect of death preparation activities. The analysis was conducted using data for 6,288 people over 65 years old, plus their spouses and children, taken from the '2017 National Survey of Older Koreans.' The study found, first, that the more positive the age norms to which the older person subscribes, the more their social activities increase. Second, as these social activities increase, the level of life satisfaction also increases. Third, the more positive the age norms to which the older person subscribes, the more the level of life satisfaction increases. Fourth, there is a significant positive mediating effect of social activity in the relationship between the age norms of the older person and life satisfaction. Fifth, there is a significant moderating effect of death preparation activities in the structural relationship between age norms, social activities, and life satisfaction that specifically impacts the age norm-life satisfaction relationship. Based on these results, practical plans to improve elderly people's life satisfaction are recommended.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.155-165
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• 2013

Koreans' traditional view on death has been much influenced by Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism, and shamanism since ancient times. Confucianism emphasizes the importance of the real life in this world and highly praises doing good deeds for the family and the community. It also praises people who are enlightened by education and self-discipline. Confucian scholars admit that death cannot be understood by rational thinking although it is unavoidable as a cosmic order. Taoism sees life as the same entity as death; Both are two different aspects of the same cosmos or the wholeness. However, the disciples of Taoism became much interested in a long life and well being that may be achieved by harmonizing with the cosmic order. Buddhism thinks that death and life are an "illusion". It says that people can be enlightened by recognizing the fact that "Nothing is born and nothing is dying in this world. Everything is the product of your mind occupied with false belief." However, secular Buddhists believe in the afterlife and metempsychosis of the soul. This belief is sometimes connected with the view of the traditional shamanism. Shamanism dichotomizes the world between "this world" and "that world". After death, the person's soul travels to "that world", where it may influence life of people who reside in "this world". And shamans who are spiritual beings living in "this world" mediate souls and living people. In conclusion, there are various views and beliefs regarding death, which are influenced by a number of religions and philosophies. They should be seriously considered when making a medical decision regarding the end of patients' life.