Invalids

Invalids is a historical term that referred to people who were ill, disabled, or otherwise unable to work due to physical or mental impairment. The word derives from Latin invalidus, meaning not strong or weak, and it appeared in medical, legal, and social policy contexts. In English and other languages, the label was used to denote permanent or long-term incapacity and to justify welfare measures or institutional care.

Historically, many countries created institutions such as infirmaries, asylums, or poorhouses for invalids, and state or employer programs provided pensions or allowances described as invalid or disability benefits. Medical literature sometimes used the term to categorize patients whose conditions limited mobility or functioning, while social policy used it to identify individuals for support or supervision. The designation could be applied broadly to chronic illness, injury, or age-related decline, sometimes without attention to individual capacity or autonomy.

In modern discourse, invalid is generally viewed as outdated and potentially stigmatizing. Disability rights movements have advocated for language that centers the person rather than the condition, favoring terms like “disabled person” or “person with a disability.” Today, invalid as a label is largely confined to historical writings, older legal or bureaucratic phrases, or descriptions of antiquated institutions. The shift in terminology reflects broader shifts toward inclusion, autonomy, and respect for individual identity beyond a medical or deficit-based view of a person.