ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the impact of death on the lives of adults. It reviews the special losses likely to occur during each of the periods of the adult life span. Death is a reality in the lives of adults. In young adulthood, it may be regarded as a stranger, but by old age, it has come to be viewed as a frequent, if unwelcome, companion on life’s journey. Although the reality of death remains a constant in the lives of adults, much of its substance has changed across the 20th century, the timing of its appearance in the lives of most adults, and the way in which its approach is treated both by the medical establishment and by individuals. In 1991, the six leading causes of death were diseases of the heart, malignant neoplasms, cerebrovascular diseases, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, accidents, and pneumonia and influenza.
