Roles of the Elderly Roles of the Elderly As a member of a society grows older, he or she usually changes roles or occupations. The acceptable roles for elders differ in each society.
Some cultures utilize their elderly in many ways, while others just a few.
According to a 1974 study by Benet of the Abkhasians of former Soviet Georgia, elders are valued because they maintain the old traditions, customs, and kinship systems that are imperative to the group's survival in a difficult region. They are also honored for their extensive knowledge of the land and the usefulness of the local plant life. Additionally, Abkhasian elders continue to work through advanced age, until they are no longer capable of working. In some cultures, elders take an administrative and political role. For the Igbo of Nigeria, the eldest male is the group's leader and accorded the responsibility to control the group politically, legally, and morally.