Understanding Resilience in Older Adults Navigating End-Of-Life Transitions Through a Terror Management Perspective.

Abstract

The end-of-life stage presents profound psychological challenges, including confronting mortality and achieving death acceptance. This conceptual article positions resilience as a critical framework for navigating these transitions, emphasizing its multidimensional role in addressing emotional, existential, and social well-being. Using Terror Management Theory (TMT) as a guiding framework, resilience is examined through three interconnected pathways: meaning-making, self-compassion, and social connections. These pathways align with TMT's anxiety-buffer systems, offering actionable strategies to foster dignity, psychological well-being, and peace during EOL transitions. The exploration focuses on how older adults reinterpret their life narratives, engage in self-compassion, and strengthen meaningful relationships, illustrating the potential for resilience-based approaches to enhance holistic end-of-life care.