Carol Jagger Public Lecture.

The population aged 85 years and over are the fastest growing section of our populations in most countries and in the UK their numbers are set to double over the next 20 years.

Despite this we still have little in-depth knowledge to inform planning for their health and care needs. The Newcastle 85+ Study is a unique longitudinal study of over 1000 people born in 1921 and aged 85 years at first interview.

The uniqueness of this study is its coverage of the full spectrum of health, including biological, psychological, physical and social functioning. This presentation will report some of the latest findings on health and functioning patterns and trajectories with an emphasis on those that challenge not only current beliefs about the very old but also how current health care is configured.