The aim was to investigate care consumption in County Council, municipalities and informal care for people 65+, make comparisons between age groups and housing. Data was drawn from elderly in the southern part of Sweden (n=1958). Data were collected regarding demography, extent of professional care in municipalities and County Council, and informal care.

49 % got care in special accommodation (SA) and the remaining at home (AH). More (p<0.006) of the oldest had help in PADL from home service care than the youngest elderly, 66 % and 34 % respectively. Less (p<0.007) home nursing care could be seen by the oldest (9.6 visits/month) compared to the youngest elderly (15.7 visits/month). In out-patient care by physician had 65 % of the youngest elderly contact with primary health care (PHC) compared to 74 % for the age groups 75 and above (p<0.004). The oldest had less number of contacts with psychiatry (1 %) and specialist care (SC) (55 %) compared to age group 75-84, 3 % and 62 % respectively (p<0.001 and p<0.006 respectively). More (p<0.001) elderly in SA (81 %) had contact with PHC by physician, compared to elderly AH (66 %). Outpatient SC (p<0.001) and hospital care (number of episodes p<0.001 and days p<0.002) were more frequent among elderly living AH in contrast to SA.

Elderly is not a homogenous group with regard to care consumption. The youngest elderly and those living AH consumed more of specialised care while the oldest and those living in SA consumed more of PHC.