Place of death for the 'oldest old': > or =85-year-olds in the CC75C population-based cohort.

BACKGROUND: Deaths are rising fastest among the oldest old but data on their transitions in place of care at the end of life are scarce. AIM: To examine the place of residence or care of > or =85 year-olds less than a year before death, and their place of death, and to map individual changes between the two. DESIGN OF STUDY: Population-based cohort study. SETTING: Cambridge City over-75s Cohort (CC75C) study, UK. METHOD: Retrospective analysis of prospective data from males and females aged > or =85 years at death who died within a year of taking part in any CC75C survey (n = 320); death certificate linkage. RESULTS: Only 7% changed their address in their last year of life, yet 52% died somewhere other than their usual address at the time of death. Over two-thirds were living in the community when interviewed