Frailty syndrome

Frailty or frailty syndrome refers to a state of health in which older adults gradually lose their bodies' in-built reserves and functioning. This makes them more vulnerable, less able to recover and even apparently minor events (infections, environmental changes) can have drastic impacts on their physical and mental health.

Frailty can have various symptoms including muscle weakness (reduced grip strength), slower walking speed, exhaustion, unintentional weight loss, and frequent falls. Older people with certain medical conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and dementia, are also more likely to have frailty. In addition, adults living with frailty face more symptoms of anxiety and depression than those who do not.

Frailty is not an inevitable part of aging. Its development can be prevented, delayed and its progress slowed. The most effective ways of preventing or improving frailty are regular physical activity and a healthy diet.

The prevalence of frailty varies based on countries and the assessment technique but it is estimated to range from 12% to 24% in people over 50.

Frailty can have impacts on public health due to the factors that comprise the syndrome affecting physical and mental health outcomes. There are several ways to identify, prevent, and mitigate the prevalence of frailty and the evaluation of frailty can be done through clinical assessments created to combine recognized signs and symptoms of frailty.