The Role of Religion at the End of Life:Health Care, Nursing and Welfare Services, Funeral Services, and Self-help Groups

Religious care and psychological therapy provided at the end-of-life share universal characteristics regardless of the framework of interpersonal support; however, they have different functions. The field of support was divided into health care, nursing and welfare services, funeral services, and selfhelp groups according to the age of individuals who receive the care（ patient ó bereaved family） and those who have passed away（ legitimacy ó illegitimacy）, and the role of religious practitioners was compared with that of psychological therapy. Since religious beliefs cannot be applied to the care provided in the healthcare field, religious practitioners have problems identifying the values of religion within such care, apart from at hospices and Buddhist monasteries. Although spiritual and religious care is ensured during funeral services, bereaved family-centered care needs to be re-established in response to the criticism over Buddhist funeral services. Even in self-help groups in which people encourage and help each other, religious practitioners can help bereaved families come to terms with the death. Nursing and welfare services can support elderly people who are prepared for their impending death by providing information and helping resolve problems through a religious view of life, including the interpretation of the present life and afterlife. The activities of religious practitioners are cross-sectional, but they can be completed independently, suggesting the need to promote cooperation among religious practitioners, care receivers, and healthcare professionals