Abstract:
The aim of this article is to show a psychic of a man of advanced age and to define his or her place in a community and a family as well as to present religiousness of an ageing generation. In paragraph one the demographic ageing of 20th and 21st century societies was presented. It was pointed out that the ageing phenomenon of Western societies is a result of simultaneously happening processes: on the one hand, bigger and bigger scope of population living till old age; and on the other hand, the fall of birth number which leads to a systematic decrease of the younger population scope. In the second paragraph old age as a life stage and ageing theories were presented. Special attention was paid to three theories of human ageing: biological, psychological and social. The third paragraph demonstrates the old man’s place in a society and a family. It was proved that a family plays a special role in an old man’s life. It gives an old man a feeling of security and creates a semblance of broader social contacts which were lost, it allows to achieve full maturity. The old generation religiousness was presented in paragraph four. The article indicates that ageing is not a state but a task. If it is well solved old age can be at least as beautiful as youth and death can be a fruit not the end.