The physical and mental health of nonagenarians.

This was a descriptive and comparative study of the physical and mental health and life-style of nonagenarians, a rapidly growing population who have been little studied. Thirty-three semi-independent-living nonagenarian men, 90 to 97 years of age, at the California Veterans home were compared with a similar group of 32 men 65 to 75 years of age. Nonagenarians were more physically active, had more family contacts, consumed less alcohol, smoked less, used fewer major medical medications but had more heart disease, visual and hearing problems, and lower scores of cognitive function, though within normal limits.