Self-perception of health (SPH) in the oldest-old subjects.

SPH is a subjective and objective assessment of personal health. It is important in evaluation of health status in the elderly as it has capacity to predict mortality, functional declining, and health-care demands. A lot of research has been published about SPH in the elderly, but little is known about SPH in the very old, especially in comparison with the "younger-old" (YO) population. The study has aimed to investigate SPH in 240 elderly patients and compare the data between the "oldest-old" (OO) (aged >or= 90 years; n=52) and the YO (aged 60-74 years; n=188) subjects. Results have shown that the OO group of patients had better SPH than their YO counterparts. Our findings implicate that very old persons belong to a special sub-group of elderly, the "successfully aged", probably due to their genetic stability, distinctive lifestyle, or both.

Cross-sectional study on health and social status of the oldest old patients at home care in Belgrade.

In the period of the last 50 years important changes in the age structure of the population in Serbia occurred. There was a very pronounced tendency of the total demographic aging of the population. The main aim of the Study is evaluation of basic health, functional and social status of the elderly patients (N = 645) admitted in Institute of Gerontology, Home Treatment and Care (IGHTC) Belgrade in 2001. Particular attention has been paid to the health and social status of the "oldest old" (90+ age) patients in comparing to the group of the "young old" (60-74 age). The purpose is to explore specific health and social need of the oldest old patients, which determine requirements for home care and could present risk factors for their institutionalization. Results can help in health promotion and preventive health care of the oldest old. The results show significantly smaller degree of utilization of health care services in the population of age 90+. We may raise the question of reason for this: the discrimination of the "oldest old" patients in the health security system, unavailability because of functional dependence and non-adjusted system of health care to the oldest patients. This fact confirms the importance of home care services. Home care services, not only contribute to the maintaining quality of life in the old age, but delay and/or prevent institutionalization of patients who are under greatest risk of this. This is for sure one step towards the rationalization of health care costs.