Old age: Encyclopedia - Old age

Old age

For the song, see Old Age.

Old age consists of ages nearing the average life span of human beings, and thus the end of the human life cycle. Euphemisms for older people include advanced adult, elderly, and senior or senior citizen. Older people have limited regenerative abilities and are more prone to disease, syndromes, and sickness than other adults. For the biology of aging see senescence.

In Western societies, adults are declared to be "old" when they reach the ages of 60-65, and secure their pension entitlement. Some governments offer old age pensions, and redeemable retirement savings plans.

Retirement is a typical lifestyle embraced by advanced adults, marking the end of a lifetime of work.

In the late 20th century and early 21st century, advances in nutrition and health care have extended the period of good health as well as extending the overall life expectancy.

Pensions provision relied upon life expectancy at retirement being short: This change has led to the pensions crisis.

Some believe there to be prejudice against older people in Western cultures, referred to as ageism.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Old age", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki