ارتباط معناداری قبل از مرگ، اما در زمان مرگ خود ارائه نشده است، با نتایج بهتر در زمینه اقدامات افسردگی و پیچیدگی عصبی در میان افراد خانواده از دست رفته بیماران سرطانی همراه است

Many families wished to be present at the moment of the patient's death; however, meaningful communication (saying “goodbye”) between the patient and family members, and not their presence or absence itself, was associated with better outcomes on measures of depression or complicated grief. Health care professionals could consider promoting both mutual communication (relating to preparation for death) between family members and patients before imminent death, as well as the family's presence at the moment of death.