Dying in Hospital – Love in Times of Final Goodbye

A population survey in Germany about the relationship between desire and reality when it comes to the topic of death and dying shows that 66% of respondents want to die at home and 18% want to die in a hospice ( www.aerzteblatt.de/122405 ). In Germany, fewer and fewer people are dying at home, while the number of people dying in palliative or hospice facilities is increasing. In medical accompaniment, the direct confrontation with illness, dying, and death is part of an everyday practice. Beyond its existential impact for the individual, dying also means loss and mourning for those who are left behind. Supporting their bereavement process confronts us with finding the appropriate form of human care. Professionals do assess what kind of help in each individual case may be required. Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, numerous people have to face loss under the often stressful conditions of isolation. The occasionally unexpected dramatic course the disease takes makes it difficult to bid farewell and follow farewell rituals with the loved one. This influences the subsequent mourning with the risk of increased prevalence of persistent mourning disorders. The chapter provides recommendations for a sensitive daily care for dying patients and their relatives in the hospital setting.