CHAPTER SIX - The Aging Process: Late Life Questions

A: BACKGROUND

9. What can’t be done

In reference to the two types of old age that the Bible presents for us, termed here Category A types and Category B types, it might be suggested that there are a number of factors that distinguish between the two states, not only among Jews, but among all elderly people.

The first is, to a large extent, “objective”. This is the physical debilitation of so many elderly. The person who suffers only minor attrition in this state is indeed fortunate. In this respect, the major emphasis must be on adequate physical and medical care to maximize the quality of life, as the situation cannot be changed substantially.

There are, however, a number of other areas to explore, where the presence of specific factors can make a difference in the experience of the elderly: the question is what the Jewish perspective on these factors and states can teach us.