The progressive aging of the population in contemporary societies leads to the necessary adjustment to the responses of health care services. The project The Oldest Old: Coimbra aging study (PTDC/CS-SOC/114895/2009) assesses an elderly population enrolled in Health Centres of Coimbra - Portugal. The QAFMI/OARS is recognized as the first elderly multidimensional assessment, being one of the areas the mental health.

Assess the use/need of health and social services by the elderly, related with their functional status in five areas (social resources, economic resources, mental health, physical health and activities of daily living).

Assess the use/need felt for health and social services by the elderly, related with the functional status in mental health.

Quantitative methodology using the QAFMI/OARS. The sample consisted of individuals aged 75, or more, randomly selected and representative of Coimbra’s elder residents (N=11279; n=1128). Mental health status was evaluated using the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire, the Short Psychiatric Evaluation Schedule and a self-evaluation.

Preliminary results showed that in physical health, ADL and economic resources there are significant differences between age groups. In mental health, there is a significant difference classification between genders, with a tendentiously lower score in women. In social resources, there is a significant difference classification between gender and age group.

The work developed with OARS/QAFMI lead us to consider this instrument very useful to define functional status of the elders in specific evaluation areas as mental health, becoming right to the planning of older care services.