[Dying and death in societal transformation]

Area of Science:

• Sociology of death and dying
• Social gerontology
• Public health

Background:

• Modern societies face profound social, professional, and cultural-religious changes impacting end-of-life processes.
• Secularization and societal differentiation have shifted dying from ritualized collective behavior to an individualized, subjectivized approach.
• Late modern societies exhibit diverse perspectives on what constitutes a "successful" or "good" death.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the transformation of dying and death in contemporary societies through seven key theses.
• To analyze the societal changes influencing end-of-life care and individual experiences of mortality.
• To highlight the emergence of new approaches in managing the dying process.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of societal trends and changes in the handling of death and dying.
• Presentation of seven theses to illustrate the evolution of the dying process.
• Discussion of the implications for end-of-life care and public health.

Main Results:

• Individuals live and die longer, with death becoming a slower, more foreseeable process.
• The dying process has shifted from public, ritualized settings to private, organizational contexts.
• The hospice movement and palliative medicine have increased public awareness and options for end-of-life care.

Conclusions:

• End-of-life care in late modernism demands new strategies focusing on individual and shared responsibility.
• Cooperation between professional institutions and community-based voluntary care is crucial for effective support.
• "Dying" is a significant topic in discussions about the future of public health and societal solidarity.