Elderly it's not just age. Let's turn to the explanatory dictionary

In the understanding of many, the word "elderly" is associated with old age. This is the name of people who have passed a certain age line. However, this concept is much more extensive than we used to think. There are several interesting historical facts that can broaden the reader's horizons and allow him to navigate in the various meanings of the word. How little do we know about the etymology of words, their meaning and options. An educated person should always be at an information height.

Let us turn to the historical sources

The elderly is a fixed fee that was practiced in the Russian state in the late fifteenth and early seventeenth centuries. He was obliged to pay every peasant who decided to leave his master and become free. There were also a certain time frame for payment, no less interesting: a week before the autumn holiday Yuryev day (November 2, old style, December 9 new) and a week after.

Now, if you are asked the question: "Mature - what is this?" - you will not give an example of the age of a person, but remember the history of great Rus and answer it correctly. For the first time the concept of the elderly (this is exactly the amount of money) was mentioned in an official document called "Sudebnik", the entries in which began in 1497. There was even a specific article number - 57. Such a fact meant that the collection had to be paid scrupulously, without disputes and claims. The evader of the payment was threatened with a fine, which at that time essentially hit the pockets of the poor peasant.

Amount of fee

On average, the size of the elderly (depending on the degree of removal of the area from the forest) was a ruble, if a person lived on a wooded territory, - a half. The rewritten "Code of Law" from 1550 (the article also changed - it was already numbered 88) made its corrections to the size of the elderly. At that time it was two altyns. It would be superfluous to say that the elderly is a ruthless struggle, which was not available to every peasant. He could not earn from the owner of such money. There was only one way out - not going anywhere, continuing to work hard, and not dreaming of long-awaited freedom in the near future.

When in the XVI-XVII centuries. Was abolished at the legislative level the right to leave the peasant from his owner, the concept of "elderly" disappeared as such. Almost a century later, the situation changed a bit and the elderly - it was already a fine for the reception and shelter of runaway peasants on its territory. Because of the fact that the payment for compassion was rather big, there were very few people willing to shelter the unfortunate.

Let us return to the age of man

Another word combination, which we will consider, is the elderly. This is a category of population that has lived a certain number of years. As a rule, they are gradually withdrawing from active participation in labor and socially active activities. This is the concept of retirement age. To correctly determine when a person reaches this milestone, many factors need to be taken into account. The main ones are social, economic, medical and cultural. Let's give a concrete example: if a man or a woman has not yet reached retirement age, but can not participate in labor activity on the same conditions as before, they are not considered elderly. And some even after 60 years remain extremely active and can easily "give odds" to the young. Thus, medical and social factors do not always coincide and sometimes run counter to each other.

But in general, older people are, according to the WHO classification, those who are already 60, but not 74 (hereafter the old age).

Old age or experience

To a person who is no longer young, sometimes high demands are placed on the part of society. Sometimes it's a public demonstration of neglect. An elderly person is, in the opinion of some, an already worked-out material, however sadly it sounds. But such an approach is a way to nowhere. Do not forget that it was the today's elderly people who provided us with a certain standard of living, albeit not always as we would like. An old or an elderly person is an integral part of life, and he deserves respect and honor. Do not forget about it. Anyone who does not honor old age, does not appreciate her experience, is unlikely to receive many privileges in the future. In addition, the years fly by unnoticed, and in the status of the elderly will be everyone. On how much sensitivity, kindness and compassion is invested in every kid or teenager, much depends - it depends on our future and our worthy old age.