Fear?
An atheist friend of mine went to a funeral in Kentucky for his aunt’s wife. They didn’t describe her that way in the obit because they were worried about picketers.
But also, the dying woman started taking visits from a pastor who convinced her to “renounce her lesbianism” at the end of her life. Her wife was her sole caregiver, for YEARS, and in the end she got demoted from wife to “nurse” because the pastor convinced a dying woman that she was going to hell for being gay.

Why do people of faith run to the hospital when near death? Why not just pray? Or go to church? Drink some holy water?

Why doesn't 911 have a priest answer?

Why doesn't the ambulance take you to the nearest church, synagogue, mosque, temple, sept, or sweat lodge?

I believe it's all due to fear of death. I work as an organist in a church, oddly enough, and see many people in older middle age begin to attend church more regularly. Perhaps they never gave faith a second though while they were young, but maybe in older age returned to it in order to "get right with God", and to have a place for a funeral when they die. It takes courage to be agnostic or atheist!

I do not know. I am 82 years old and I can guarantee that I will not.

It rarely happens.

I, for one, will remain an Atheist until they cremate me since I'm 100% certain that there IS no After-Life, No God, No Heaven or Hell.

Not this guy.

In due time, I'll call you from the other side to let you know how did I do while passing

FEAR.

For the same reason so many believers lie about nonbelievers' deathbed conversions.

Do you have any facts to back up your assertion ??

Like others, I question your premise. I have looked for studies and found none. I think calling it a religious trope is about right.

Dementia is more prevalent now and I can see how that might affect memory and reasoning leading a non-theist who was formerly religious to present as a "deathbed conversion". I cannot imagine anything other than brain disease causing me to revert to my religious upbringing.

I have often thought i might do a deathbed conversion, better a dumb christian dies than a smart atheist.

I did not grow up with any religion so most likely will not be doing this. I would assume it is for comfort, a reminder of their childhood, for fellowship? And I do not begrudge them that. If it brings peace, who am I to take issue with it.

It’s not too difficult to imagine. Being mortal can be scary sometimes.

I go even further: how come even believers get scared when, for instance, a possibility of a crash while driving? As we only have Death and taxes assured, I think I understand, although, if we take rationally, it doesn't make any sense.

Don’t know that they do, do they?

Well they are afraid of death. I believe the big hook all religions is the offer of immortality. Make them feel better and able to accept the fact that they're going to die.

Only person I knew that “changed “ was my Dad. I have no idea if he believed growing up. He never said. I was raised atheist although my Mom had a love of history including religions, so I learned a lot about most of them. Near the end of his life, he suddenly said he believed in god. Still didn’t go to a church, so I think it was a personal god of some sort. He did say “My god” a lot. It didn’t stop him from taking his own life and no religious sorts showed up to say they knew him after.

Not a clue.

I’m not sure this is true....do you have any stats?

Probably fear.

To comfort their Xian survivors.

FEAR

It's called covering all their bases, just in case.