Thanatology refers to the study of death. Because of a number of societal changes, there is now more interest in the nature and quality of death and dying, at least in the developed world. Such changes include the growth of the elderly population, cultural shifts toward greater openness about distressing topics, and longer intervals from the onset of terminal illnesses to death. Thanatologists work closely with the health care system to improve the process of dying both for the dying patient and the surviving family.