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What do we mean by frailty?
Frailty is not an illness but a clinical syndrome that combines the effects of natural ageing with the outcomes of events and circumstances in people’s lives.2
While there is no single definition of frailty, and multiple approaches exist to diagnose it,3 frailty is typically considered to be:
A state of vulnerability represented by an accumulation of deficits in someone’s ability to:2,4
- Perform activities of daily living
- Respond or ‘bounce back’ from illnesses, accidents or stressful events
This may be identified by:
Physical signs and symptoms, e.g.:
Fatigue, weight loss, poor strength, or slow walking speed.
Psychological signs, e.g.:5
Problems with memory, low mood or depression, or problems with coping.
Social signs, e.g.:5
Living alone, lack of support or low socioeconomic profile.
People who are found to be living with frailty experience:6–9
More falls
More hospital admissions
Higher rates of depression
Poorer health outcomes
Higher risk of death
More disability
…vs. those who are not frail.
However, if identified early, frailty can potentially be reversed by effectively managing as many contributing factors as possible.10
However, if identified early, frailty can potentially be reversed by effectively managing as many contributing factors as possible.10
INTERVENTION
Frailty is not fixed but dynamic, people can move between frailty states, including reversal. Therefore, it should be managed as a long-term condition with an expectation of ups and downs.
Without intervention, frailty is likely to progress.
Without intervention, frailty is likely to progress.
