title: [Old or elderly?].
abstract: The factors involved in and the significance of the so-called "aging" phenomenon, with particular regard to its manifestations in Italy and Sicily are discussed with particular regard to the different meaning of "being elderly" as a biological and clinical phenomenon linked with considerable individual variations to aging, and "being old", as a social and psychological exclusion factor connected with the essentially segregational and excluding attitude of society in general with regard to the old. The conditions for preventing a state of "being old" are indicated in terms of geriatrics methodology, sociosanitary aspects connected with health service structures, and personal aspects involving the responsibility of the aging man.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D003710:Demography; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008875:Middle Aged; D011584:Psychology; D012802:Sicily; D012936:Social Medicine; D012946:Social Welfare; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D009626:Terminology as Topic
vernacular_title: Essere vecchi o essere anziani?