We will meet the challenge of a gradual death in the same manner we have met other challenges in our life.
Dying a gradual death is just one more challenge in living—a big one, maybe the biggest of our whole life but another life experience never the less.
If we are a controlling person we will control this experience. If we run away from our challenges, we will stay in denial. If we are secretive we may not tell others what we are thinking or feeling. If we are organized we will make sure our affairs are in order.
Look at how a person has lived their life and they will follow that same pattern in their dying a gradual death.