ABSTRACT
Most definitely, dying and death are situations occurring with a high degree of frequency among older adults, as almost two-thirds of individuals who die in the United States each year are 65 and older. French sociologist Emile Durkheim argues that it is ceremonial acts that are mainly responsible for the life-enriching effects of religion; thus shared meanings and values through group participation certainly give support to an individual regarding the fear of death. The sheer ceremonial act of regular attendance at religious services contributes to lower death anxiety. Overall, religious individuals are known to report lower levels of death anxiety. Older adults in the US, for example, die from falls at a very high rate, about 74 per day, thus timing in getting individual to an emergency care unit would be more of an issue in rural areas because of distance. Likewise, bereavement counseling via chat lines can be comforting to one suffering from the death of a significant other.
