After describing the growing concern for older people, the commonly held stereotypes about them and the ways in which researchers examine aging and older people, this paper examines different spatial aspects of aging. Prevailing paradigmatic and theoretical views of aging as they are relevant to geographical study are discussed. Specific spatial aspects of aging addressed include: (1) the spatial distribution of the United States' elderly population as it has evolved over time; (2) the spatial patterns of elderly migration and the processes responsible for this migration; (3) the nature of the relationships that exist between the older individual and the environment, the ways in which the individual experiences the environment, and how the environmental setting affects the life of the older person; and (4) the application of geographic research to the planning of delivery systems, housing, and other programs designed to assist older people. Also addressed are the changing characteristics of older people and their future conditions. (Author/EB)