Traditional studies on disabilty and decline of the aged have failed to embrace gender differences by focusing on men rather than women. The study examined 356 men and women over the age of 65 years to ascertain whether factors, such as education, income, martial status had different trends according to gender. Fifty-nine per cent of those who participated were women. The results show that men and women have the same behavioural patterns: both tend to smoke to much and fail to exercise and socialise enough.