It is a bit of a paradox that the more successful you are at healthy aging and longevity, the more death will be a part of your life. As anyone ages, their friends and family may begin to die. If caught unprepared, this can lead to depression that is common with aging. Figuring out how you are going to cope with death in your life is an anti-aging skill that we should all develop.
That said, I am no expert on death and dying, so I'll refer you to a resource that can get you started. What I will do is encourage you to engage with death and dying now before death now. Have a plan about how you will think about death and dying and what you will tell yourself when a loved one passes away.
One inspirational quote I read (can't remember where -- sorry) was about a little boy who died. The mother said a little prayer that went something like this: "Dear Sam, thank you for the honor of being your mom. We had a lot of fun. I love you. Please pray for us."
I really like this way of thinking. I'm not about to analyze it, but I would hope that, if faced by death, I would be able to reach this level of peace and understanding. It just seems healthy to me. Please go to The Dying Process website on About.com to take some time to think about death and dying.
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