Issues related to old age and the ageing process have attracted more and more public attention lately, with increasing criticism of the care system for the elderly. Why do we say this? Because, unfortunately, there is an exponential increase in cases where older people are marginalized and treated in a way that is incompatible with the Christian precepts that old age is to be respected and honored. It must also be stressed that it is the responsibility of the younger generation to care for the elderly, including their physical and spiritual needs. Then, crucially, it is humanly untenable to refuse care to the elderly on the grounds that they are old and “die quickly anyway”. In what follows we look at the phenomenon of old age, focusing on six aspects:
- the biological aspect
- the dignity aspect
- the palliative care aspect
- the aspect of life suppression (euthanasia)
- the aspect of physician-assisted suicide
- quality of life aspect