The oldest old in Great Britain: change over the last 20 years.

This article examines twenty-year trends in several demographic and socio-economic characteristics of the oldest old. Using data obtained by merging consecutive waves of the General Household Survey (GHS), this study offers detailed descriptive and multivariate analyses of the use of selected health services and the living arrangements of the oldest old over the last 20 years. The results provide an insight into the characteristics of the oldest old and changes over time in the selected characteristics, that is, the increase in the proportion living alone and in hospital out-patient visits, in contrast with the stability in the proportion visiting their General Practitioner (GP).