82 residents of a state nursing home were interviewed on depression, dementia, life satisfaction, & suicidality. The results show that 13% of the target group are suicidal & that another 32% wish to die, meaning that every second resident of this nursing home actively reflects on death. These subgroups were differentiated with respect to acute physical diseases & their subjective interpretations, & to depressive symptoms. No statistical significance was found between neurological diseases including dementia & suicidality or the wish to die. (11 refs)