ABSTRACT
As the author enter a new century, human beings will receive the benefits of educational, technological, and medical advances, including greater life expectancy. Concurrently, the United States and other nations have begun to witness the effects of an expanding elderly population, as the baby boom generation turns 65. The combination of increased population and life expectancy will result in the largest elderly ratio our society has ever experienced. A review of the literature in the field of psychology and counseling reveals a need for research and application in two related areas: counseling of the older adult population and the incorporation of spirituality in the therapeutic process, specifically concerning death anxiety. The elderly fear death for varied reasons, including fear of the unknown, fear of punishment, the loss of self, or lost opportunities. Most have experienced the loss of loved ones, friends, and family. As individuals grow older, they move closer to death themselves.
