Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 30, 2026
Multi-Modal Home Sleep Monitoring in Older Adults
Published on: January 26, 2019
Nursing homes for the old ('Gerocomeia') in Byzantium (324-1453 AD)
J Lascaratos1, G Kalantzis, E Poulakou-Rebelakou
1Department of the History of Medicine, Medical School, National Athens University, Athens, Greece.
Background:
Research into the welfare institutions for the elderly, which were established in the Byzantine Empire.
Objective:
The purpose of the study is the research into the texts of the Byzantine chroniclers and the contemporary historical sources so as to determine the social policy of the Byzantine State regarding the homes for the aged.
Methods:
The histories and chronicles of the Byzantine writers, written in the original Greek language, were studied and analysed, so as to locate the extracts in the texts concerning the interest shown by the Byzantine State to establish institutions for old and ailing people.
Results:
The care for the elderly in Byzantium was undertaken in special infirmaries, called 'gerocomeia', which operated all over the empire mostly in or near the monasteries. All these nursing homes were highly esteemed and the governor of the institution seems to have been a person of high importance. The most important nursing home was located in Constantinople and was established by Emperor John II Comnenus in the 12th century in the famous monastery and hospital of the Pantocrator.
Conclusion:
The study and analysis of the historical texts of the Byzantine period (324-1453 AD) prove that human-oriented behaviour, which derived from the intervention of religion, contributed to the foundation of many welfare institutions for the elderly by the Byzantine emperors, the church and some individuals who showed great interest in them.
Related Concept Videos
01:19Restorative Care
01:25Continuing Care
01:30Specialized Care Centers and Settings-I
Daycare centers
They provide several functions. Some facilities care for healthy newborns and children whose parents work, while others are medically focused and care for...
01:30Specialized Care Centers and Settings-II
Rural health centers are specialized care facilities in remote locations with very few medical personnel. The primary care providers who run the centers are mostly Registered Nurse Practitioners. Here, emergency treatment is provided to critically ill or injured patients before they are transferred to the closest hospital. Fortunately, due to advancement in technology, many rural healthcare facilities and professionals have easy access to diagnostic and treatment...
01:29Documentation in Long-Term and Home Healthcare Setting
Long-Term Care Facilities
01:26Aging
Cellular Clock Theory
The cellular clock theory posits that the human lifespan is closely tied to the finite capacity of cells to divide, a phenomenon governed by telomeres, which are protective caps at the ends of...