World report on Ageing and Health
Although it may surprise, there is no clear pattern to indicate that elderly people always utilise more health services. When one looks at the aggregated indicators, one may reach this conclusion, however taking into account the realities and individual characteristics, there are many remaining factors to explain the situation. This fact is evidenced by the last WHO report on aging and health. (P.90).
Even considering the increased morbidity at older ages, the burden of chronic diseases is diverse in terms of cost. Thus, few users and its distribution in the phase prior to death, it is the main cause of the high cost of chronic disease. Proximity to death and corresponding therapeutic effort confound the ageing factor in increasing health costs.
Furthermore, it has been shown that the compression of morbidity continues to advance. That is, the occurrence of chronic diseases is delayed gradually, the phenomenon of "survival of the fittest" is confirmed. The impact or impairment of chronic disease in human physiology for the very old is attenuated .
It is for these reasons that the report is worth, a new look to a reality that is already upon us and we need to give appropriate response.