Living conditions and health of a population aged 85 years or over: a five-year follow-up study.

The population aged 85 years or over (n = 674) living in Tampere, Finland was surveyed in 1977-78. Altogether 561 persons (83%), 99 men and 462 women, were examined. A re-examination of 170 persons, 23 men and 147 women, was carried out in 1982 by the same procedure as in 1977-78, The results were compared with those of the same people and with those of over-90s five years before. Of the group followed, in the initial survey 65% were living at home and 25% in old people's homes, 10% being hospitalized. The percentage of hospital in-patients had increased threefold during the five-year follow-up. The functional capacity of the subjects had deteriorated as regards mental function and ability to walk. The mean values of blood samples (apart from ESR) were still in normal ranges, although the levels of haemoglobin and haematocrit had fallen significantly. Dementia or confusion, anaemia, femoral-neck fracture and cataract were significantly increased.