The following points particularly focus on the interaction with patients and their relatives. Furthermore, the situation of the social worker in the context of this field of work is addressed, along with potential psychological stressors that can lead to burnout syndrome. At the end of the paper, possibilities are presented for how the social worker can competently and satisfactorily manage their work in this demanding yet exhausting area through the use of relief strategies.

1. What does dying mean and what does death mean? Dying is a part of life and is unavoidable. But how can one recognize that a person is in the process of dying, or what distinguishes the concept of dying from the concept of death? According to the traditional viewpoint, dying encompasses a short period immediately before the onset of death.