[The history of ageing in modern times according to current German research]

Historical research into ageing has gained importance since the end of the last century. While in the past ageing used to be mostly the object of historical demographics and historical family research, a number of branches within historical science are now interested in the topic. So far, research has focused on various pension systems, on demographic changes and old age poverty. Other points of interest are the care within or outside of the family and the resulting life conditions, for example in the "sick houses" (Siechenhäuser). The construction of age-related images also plays an important part. Medical discourses on the various concepts of age also represent a wide field of historical research.