1、Thus,not only are the oldest old very heterogeneous  in personality and lifestyle, their needs are also very diverse and often unpredictable.

2、What is to be discussed here is to present an overview of what we do know about the oldest old  from a health standpoint, and suggest ways nurses can translate this knowledge into practice in order to provide “best practices ”in the clinical care of the oldest old.

3、Nurses need to dispel the myth that the oldest old are all bedridden , demented, institutionalized, and totally dependent upon others to meet all of their needs. The studies that have been done on the oldest old do provide some insights into the lifestyles and personalities of the oldest old.