Preparation for death and dying among pre-retirement civil servants in Nigeria: challenges for counselling

Abstract

This nationwide study was done with the main purpose of finding out the level of preparation for death and dying among pre-retirement civil servants in Nigeria. A secondary purpose was to determine the influence of age on such preparation. The instrument used for data collection was tagged "Preparation for Death and Dying Questionnaire" (PDDQ). Its validity and reliability were duly established through the help of experts. The relevant data were collected through the employment of research assistants. The findings showed that the respondents were ill-prepared for death and dying. Also, significant age differences were observed in retiring civil servants' preparation for death and dying; younger pre-retirement civil servants had
made less preparation for death and dying than their older counterparts. The critical challenges that these findings pose for counselling practice in Nigeria were then succinctly highlighted.