Free and open discussion of death usually has been nonexistent. Reasons for silence about death vary. Medical technology has contributed to a shift in causes of death and the ages of the dying population. Today, more people die of degenerative diseases than of childhood communicable diseases. Heart disease and cancer are typical causes of death of the older population.
More people die in hospitals and nursing homes now than at home.
Removal of this experience from the home and lack of exposure to the death of younger friends means that people grow up today personally unfamiliar with death before they reach adulthood. Death remains a mystery to most adults. A change is occurring, though. There is a growing interest in and willingness to discuss death and dying more openly. Recognizing the normal psychological stages people experience when facing death or grief crises can contribute to this understanding.