[A golden age of the elderly? Old age in a historical perspective]

Abstract

The subject of the following article is 'old age' of women and men in prehistoric times, in the ancient Greek and Roman times, in the Middle Ages, in the Age of Enlightenment, in the times of the western industrial civilization and finally in the so-called post-modern civilization (in German terms "Erlebnisgesellschaft") of the present. There is a double focus on the subject. On one hand, the examination deals with the concrete circumstances of living of the elderly people. On the other hand, the examination analyzes the images of old age and the dominant image of the elderly people in the different times. The historical focus shows that old age is no anthropological or biological, unchangeable condition. Old age is a social and cultural construction that is historically formed and can be changed by society. This statement is valid for the number of the elderly in relation to the whole population of a historical society, it is valid for the way of every day life of the elderly and it is also valid to answer the question, who is an 'old' person. 'Old age' and the appearance of 'old age' depends on gender, on sociological items and last but not least on individual conditions during the different historical times. Dominant and strongly changing images of old age can be seen in all periods of human culture, in ancient times, in the Middle Ages and also in modern times. These images (negative or positive) depend strongly on the economic circumstances and conditions of living. Connected with these analyzed images of old age in all former cultures are concrete systems of values that have a leading function for the whole society.