title: [A comparative study of institutionalized nonagenarian and younger elderly women].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The number of nonagenarians is rapidly growing in Chile. This age group is mainly female, with higher frailty markers and in higher risk of being placed at nursing homes.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe features of nonagenarian women and compare them with a group of women between 60-89 years, both living in nursing homes, in terms of disability and resource use at the institution.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 230 nonagenarian women and 460 women, aged 60-89 years, were evaluated in the nursing home Fundación Las Rosas de Ayuda Fraterna (only for poor elderly) in Santiago, Chile. The assessment instruments were the Geriatric Assessment instrument FEGAUC, functional and mental evaluation scales of Spanish Red Cross and the Resource Utilization System, RUG T18, an independent diagnostic classification system that allows the determination of resource use in terms of cost and personnel needs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nonagenarian women had significantly (p <0.05) more disability (falls, urinary incontinence, memory problems and mobility difficulties), and were classified in RUG categories of higher resource utilization and dependency than younger women. Nevertheless, nonagenarians were a very heterogeneous group, almost half of them were able of moving by themselves or required little assistance and had minimal memory problems.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nonagenarian women assessed in this institution are an heterogeneous group, some with minimal disability and other more frail and dependent than the younger elderly women, being classified in higher categories of resource utilization RUG T18.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Geriatría y Gerontología, Departamento de Medicina Interna, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile. ppmarin@med.puc.cl
authors.forename: Pedro Paulo
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Marín
authors.forename: Homero
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gac
authors.forename: Trinidad
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hoyl
authors.forename: Marcela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carrasco
authors.forename: Patricio
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Duery
authors.forename: Mauricio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cabezas
authors.forename: Kristina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.forename: Catalina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dussaillant
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Valenzuela
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D016330:Frail Elderly; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D007326:Institutionalization; D008875:Middle Aged
vernacular_title: Estudio comparativo de mujeres mayores de noventa años y ancianas menores institucionalizadas.