Is old age a preparation for death?

Question

Hello! I'm new.

I am a sociology student and have a presentation to do in 6 weeks on the above topic.

I'd like to make it clear that I do not expect, nor want, any members to do my work for me. I am merely looking for any links to websites or publications that will point me in the right direction.

Thank you in advance.

EDIT: Did i forget to mention that this question is not open to idiots and people who think genitalia are funny?

Re: Dover56Dover

That is the whole title unfortunately! We have been allowed quite a wide scope to discuss. I don't think we're meant to be focussing on particular health issues etc. Just old age as a general group...!

Answer 1

Well, they do say that life itself is a terminal illness. From birth to death is a process. It is very difficult to be absolute regarding when old age starts, it must be relative to each individuals general condition and state of health.

The final years of a persons life, referred to as old age, is merely the final stage before the inevitability of death. The body doesn't just say, "OK better start the period of old age now". Our whole life moves incrementally toward it, and through it toward death. Because of the ups and downs of life, the stresses and strains and the illnesses, the body will not deteriorate proportionately in a straight line with time.

The very term itself, "old age", is a man made term, simply to define the final stage before dying. Birth and death are the absolutes, but we make a stab at defining roughly where we are in that cycle, young, middle aged, and old age. Is a person who dies at fifty, old at forty five, and young at forty five if he goes on to be ninety?

The point I am trying to make is that it is not essential to have passed through what we normally regard as old age before some of us die. If you live long enough I think that it is obviously an inevitable stage before dying. Whilst not essential, I do believe that it will make the dying process easier, a kind of fading away, where, unlike in a younger person. the difference between life and death is stark. For an older person, being tired and weary, perhaps suffering, having lived a long life, perhaps now dependant, the difference is much less stark, much less is being given up. Each day of the stages of old age the body will start to close down slowly toward the inevitable, assuming a normal death.

Answer 2

death is the great unknown, each sector of society regards and treats death differently, and as such cannot be generalised.

for some reason we english insist on the full monty, whereas the tribes of borneo settle for a few bannana leaves and a good party...

being dead isnt about the ending of ones lifecycle, death is what happens when a friend or colleauge shuffles off this mortal coil, and it a celebration of their life, not of their demise.

we all think differently, theres the folks who think were jus worm food, theres the oh im definateley going to heaven brigade, and mmm it is very warm down here, where did you say we were?

death is the great unknown, it causes trepidation and concerns for everyone. i have my owen beliefs, and although i do believe in a higher power, its not a god..

Answer 3

Just because your`re old it doesn`t mean you`re prepared for death. I work with the elderly, and some accept dying and others are as scared as anyone else. It also depends under what circumstances you die. People with Alzheimer's wouldn`t realise they are dying but others with a progressive illness with all their faculties get frightened by the unknown. Being elderly doesn`t mean you have accepted or come to terms with dying.

Answer 4

No old age is all down to your cells and your DNA ....

But having said that ... sure u know u are going to grow older and sure u know u are going to die that's the only thing we are guaranteed in life.... But maybe the older generation are more accepting and better prepared for it than the younger generation ...
My gran lived until she was 96 and was looking forward to death, she said she had seen enough of this life, had done everything she had wanted to do and seen enough of her family and friends die ..... she was just waiting for her turn to go ....

Answer 5

Hi good luck with your project. I don't know of any web sites but can give you my opinion I believe that the whole of life is in preparation of death and I think you will find many religions will have different views on this. When we are born we know we will die but many of us believe that is not the end of life itself as our souls carry on after our body's. As we age our opinions change and also our values wisdom prepares us for a lot of things as youngsters we could not understand. shame none of this can be passed on as everyone seems to have to find out themselves.

Answer 6

AS others have said, life is a preparation for death. Read THE PROPHET by KAHLIL GIBRAN its a brilliant, short book and gives a philosophers view of aspects of life ending with the journey into death as a sea voyage. People you have known, wave you off, sadly at the shore and people on the ship, joyfully welcome you back .

Answer 7

eating healthful food and being lively and warding off concerns are the main to solid previous age existence. One should not be panicky approximately previous age. it extremely is greater a difficulty of psyche than definitely age. No hurry, no hardship and no curry could supply you a healthful existence notably whilst previous.

Answer 8

the day we are born we are nearer to death than the day before ,some people believe that the whole of life is a preparation for death . death is nothing .you cannot prepare for nothing ,although if your suffering in old age is bad you will welcome the release from pain that death will bring. death is painless it is the getting there that hurts

Answer 9

I think old age is just our DNA breaking down. Each cell has a set number of times it can devide. After that it can no longer reproduce. When we get to the end, we die.

Answer 10

I dont think any age prepare`s you for death my parents are 87 and 79 years old and they don't want to die and they are frightened of dying so no i dont think so