Aging is not limited to one group, or one particular location, so over time the needs of senior citizens and the response by those taking care of them has varied as much as human cultures themselves. The form of elder care provided varies greatly among countries and is changing rapidly. Even within the same country, regional differences exist with respect to the care for the elderly.

Traditionally elder care has been the responsibility of family members and was provided within the extended family home. In modern societies there is an increasing tendency for elder care to be provided by state or charitable institutions. Some reasons for this change include decreasing family size, greater life expectancy of elderly people, geographical dispersion of families, and the tendency for women to be educated and work outside the home. The first countries to experience these changes were in Europe and North America, but now the trend is increasingly affecting Asian countries also.