Religion, Spirituality, and Existentialism Near the End of Life

Persons facing death due to terminal illness experience diverse physical, emotional, and relationship challenges. Dying persons have more than just physical needs, and spiritual issues may feature prominently as sources of intense struggle and comfort as people prepare to die. The spiritual health of the dying may be as important as their biological condition when facing death. Nevertheless, the present health care environment, with its emphasis on diagnostics and curative treatment, may allocate minimal attention and resources to the spiritual needs of the dying and their families. The neglect of spiritual issues may contribute to emotional, cognitive, and physical difficulties experienced at the end of life. Therefore, recognizing spirituality within the biomedical context of dying is essential. This requires an appreciation for the multifaceted nature of spirituality, coupled with an openness to individual theology, and an ability to integrate the spiritual dimension within a “bio-psychosocial” framework of assessment.