Death is an inevitable part of our lives, and despite its universal nature, it remains a taboo subject in contemporary society. Typically, death follows a period of dying, and when a person dies, their relatives begin a period of mourning. Social work is one of the professions that frequently encounters dying and mourning, making it crucial for social workers to be equipped with appropriate knowledge and experience on how to approach a dying person and their grieving relatives. Topics of death and dying are especially relevant in homes for older people, as people often spend the final period of their lives there. Additionally, these institutions also face instances of suicide and suicidal behavior, making it particularly important to address such topics appropriately. In my master's thesis, I explored the attitudes of the residents of the Home for older people Nova Gorica towards death, dying, and suicidality. I involved ten residents in the study, conducted interviews with them, analysed the interviews and found answers to the research questions posed. I found that residents accept death and dying as part of life, yet they predominantly experience negative emotions and fears regarding these topics. In their opinion, death remains a taboo subject today, and they prefer to avoid conversations about it. Interviewees responded differently to the death of a close person; some were deeply shaken, while others accepted death and coped with mourning more easily. Residents understand suicide as a decision to end life and view it as something terrifying. They feel horror and distress when discussing such topics. They never talk about suicide because such conversations evoke great sadness. They do not have much experience with the suicidality of their loved ones, though some mentioned having encountered suicidal thoughts themselves. Through the research, I arrived at the suggestion that it would be beneficial to address the topics of death, dying, and suicidality in homes for older people, as residents are aware that death is near. Furthermore, there is a need to work towards detabooing death and suicidality, as these are sensitive topics that people avoid and push aside. This makes it harder to recognize someone who needs help. I believe it would be wise to establish a self-help group in the home for older people where residents could share their experiences and fears related to death and suicidality, and support each other with mutual support.
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