The aged

Physical condition associated with old age.   If one is lucky to have a family unit or extended family or clan old age can be quite comfortable. Looking after the home, looking after grandchildren, and contributing in making items to sell at markets can prove your usefulness. Making it to old age is difficult enough with poverty, wars, taxes, general diseases and wide spread plagues. Even if one does survive, it ones family did not, or if ones family is too poor another mouth to feed can be too draining. Poverty and abandonment are the worst physical conditions of old age. To be cast out to the elliments, or cast out onto the ruthless city streets live can be miserable and short. People in similar situations can for up, living in the woods or under bridges. They sell what they can, quilted rag blankets, bead work, selling wild fruit, vegetables and herbs are common ways to make a few coins.   Abandoned, neglected and with no social assistance the aged with no wealth or family or useful skills have a difficult time.   One can also sell themselves into slavery as a house maid or nanny. This is not common as there not many people who can afford such a luxury and if they could a younger person is more desired.   Huddled in forest clearings groups ca be found huddled around campfires, a pot of weak waters soup or stew on the fire.   This was a reason families tended to be large. High infant mortality rates, war, disease, pestilence, conscripted or pressed into local lord's conflicts. One needed many children to ensure some were around to look after you. Also more hands meant more help on farms or if one was lucky enough to be a crafts person, or merchant