The increasingly elderly population poses many economic and ethical questions for modern society. One of the most topical and controversial is the debate about euthanasia. Drawing on a variety of historical, contemporary, anthropological and literary sources, this work considers the present day debates about the sanctity of elderly lives and the question of euthanasia. It shows that killing the elderly, voluntarily or involuntarily, has been a feature of many societies - from the primitive to the present day. Elderly homicide and euthanasia today are most commonly concealed in the home or the care institution, a situation which is attracting increasing professional concern. This text seeks to place the current debate in a wider historical and social context, while providing an overview of current academic and professional concerns.