BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The growing numbers of elderly people are expected to lead to an increasing demand for assistive devices. The purpose of this study was to examine changes in the use of assistive devices over time and their relation to dependence in daily activities among 90-year-old persons living at home. METHODS: This retrospective longitudinal study examined the 90-year-old population at the ages of 85 and 90, and 195 persons participated. RESULTS: 92% of the 90-year-old population used assistive devices at the age of 90, compared with 74% at the age of 85. Between this interval, 19% became new users, 73% were permanent users, and 7% did not make any use of assistive devices. There was a significantly higher proportion of device-users among those who were dependent in both personal daily activities (PADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) (98.5%, p