43 2.5.1 Frailty

•Frailty is a complex clinical syndrome with multiple causes and contributors characterized by:

•Diminished strength

•Decreased endurance

•Reduced physiologic function

•Increases an individual’s vulnerability for developing increased dependency and/or death

•Discrete from disease and disability

•Often chronic and progressive but can be dynamic and potentially reversible

Frail NH – Simplifies Frailty Screening Screens Residents at Bedside

Frailty Index – Predicts outcomes in communities

Edmonton Frail Scale – Valid, multidimensional reliable index to measure alterations related to frailty

Clinical Frailty Scale – Clinical use, judgement based tool to screen for frailty and degrees of fitness and frailty

Functional Assessment Staging Tool (FAST Scale) – Functional assessment especially in residents with dementia.

Gerontopole Frailty Screening Tool (GFST) – Scale that directly focuses on signs and symptoms of frailty

Timed Up and Go Test (TUG) – To assess mobility and risk for falls^{[5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12]}

Management of Frailty:

• No recommendations to screen for frailty
• Identifying frailty at an earlier stage can be challenging and is best complemented with the use of valid, reliable tools
• Multicomponent interventions should be based on
  • Health needs, priorities and level of frailty, with involvement of various team members
  • Include care and support planning
  • Physical activity
  • Dietary interventions
  • Structured medication reviews
  • Strengthening social networks^[13][14]