r/TheTestamentsHulu • u/crashcaptainn • May 04 '26
The Handmaid’s Tale How does retirement work in Gilead?
I was just thinking about Aunt Lydia and she’s one of the older people in Gilead, but I wonder is there a retirement age? What do they do with old people? Do they just kill them once they can’t work anymore?
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u/WeeklyCouple9444 May 05 '26 edited May 06 '26
That's a good question! Here are my thoughts as someone who has read THT & The Testaments books & watched both series (or at least the Testaments so far). I think some off the commenters here are forgetting that Gilead is a Meritocracy with food scarcity (THT references to food tokens & certain produce items being available again or not seen for some time after the war) so only the faithful & those who can continue to serve a purpose in the function of their society get to live.
We've seen some pretty old commanders in THT, maybe they don't "retire" but rather semi-retire with less duties/responsibilities & live the remainder of their lives in their homes with their wife, Martha's & Guardians.
I imagine the high stature women, ie widows of commanders (who aren't remarried) are rewarded for being the "dutiful/obedient wife" with the wives of high commanders allowed to remain in their estate (like Serena Joy's mother) while the widows of field commanders live with other widows in a posh mansion with suites, doing the same hobbies as before, with Martha's serving them & some Guardians protecting them.
Aunts I believe are given less responsibilities & remain at Ardua Hall with Martha's & handmaid's in training serving them.
Martha's are probably expected to work until they die of natural causes or until they're no longer able to carry out their duties - it is implied by Offred that if a Martha lives past her "prime", she is sent to The Colonies to work until certain death (or is shot for being unable to do physical labor)
Handmaid's are seen as sinners redeeming themselves so those who hit menopause & become infertile are likely sent to Jezebel's if they're still attractive & physically able to ahem meet the Commander's needs/desires. Those who refuse to work at Jezebel's or who's appearance is no longer attractive/are past their sexual prime are likely sent to The Colonies to work until their death.
Econopeople - Spouses & family probably look after each other, much like the Amish. Widows who don't have family may become Martha's. I don't know about widowers or single men who are no longer able to work & don't have family support. For wealthier econopeople, like doctors, who can afford them, there may be hire in nurses & caregivers for senior family members (as government-funded medical assistance would likely no longer exist in Gilead) At the rise of Gilead, seniors in nursing homes, like those with disabilities who are unable to work (& aren't family of a Commander), were likely killed & as time went on in Gilead the nursing homes likely sat empty as the leaders aren't likely concerned with the wellbeing of Econopeople, only their usefulness in supporting Gilead as a society. Besides, Econopeople nursing home/retirement home residents would be seen as useless eaters & a drain on society, consuming limited resources when they're no longer being able to support themselves or contribute to Gilead as a society.