Centre for Policy on Ageing



Age related disorders in the Bible
Author(s)	Y Barak, A Achiron
Journal title	Aging & Mental Health, vol 2, no 4, November 1998
Pages	pp 275-278
Source	http://www.tandfonline.com
Keywords	Health [elderly] ; Ill health ; Mental disorder ; Dementia ; Judaism ; Literature.
Annotation	Judaism referred to illness as a symbol of evil that must be eradicated. Jewish texts such as the Bible and the Talmud are therefore a rich source of descriptions of diseases and their proposed cures. The aim of the present study was to describe age-related disorders in the Bible with a special emphasis on psychogeriatric syndromes. A computer-assisted search of the Old Testament using the index words elders, ageing, ancient, grey, old age and old was carried out. Appropriate references were scanned and categorised. Older people are allocated a special place in biblical society. Physical changes and sensory impairments related to ageing are extensively described. In addition, sexual functioning, apathy, lack of initiative, stroke and decline in cognitive abilities are also noted in biblical texts in relation to old age. Age-related disorders, both physical and neuropsychological are recognised in the Bible and humane and social interventions recommended. (AKM).
Accession Number	CPA-990125403 A
Classmark	CC: CH: E: EA: TUW: HK
Data © Centre for Policy on Ageing

...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing.