Abstract
Isolation is a common felt perception of those persons who experience loss, trauma, or death, but the loneliness of the dying experience is seldom identified or addressed. As more people die at older ages (AoA, 2017; ONS, 2016) and many continue to live independently, they are at risk of dying alone. Networks thin and family may be unavailable nearby to check on them. When friends hear of a such a solitary death, it is often named a “bad death.” This dying condition is typically seen as failure. However, some people prefer to die alone, even if they know their significant other would not accept it. For these individuals, dying alone can be a “good death,” their preferred option. This conceptual paper will draw on clinical and research examples of loneliness, loss, and dying to discuss the importance of sharing death plans with those who may carry responsibility for enacting them.