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Frailty has been identified to be a growing health concern in elderly populations in the past 20 to 30 years. It is common in individuals aged 65 years and above and is associated with a variety of other problems including the risk of falls, injuries, disability, hospitalisation and mortality. According to the World Health Organisation (2017) approximately 28% to 35% of individuals aged 65 years and above experience a fall each year due to limitations in mobility.
Identifying Frailty at an early stage before it causes the onset of severe adverse health outcomes such as falls, or injuries is important.
Frailty involves the declines of physiological reserves in the body causing imbalances in the organ systems leading to increased vulnerability to other health problems which unfortunately reduces the quality of life. The common physical aspects presented in Frailty is declines in muscle strength in the upper and lower body. The hand grip strength test, chair stand test and gait speed test have been found to be reliable tests for frailty. Muscle strength in the upper body is measured through examining grip strength using a hand-held dynamometer. During assessment the individual is required to grip the hand dynamometer using their maximum strength; the grip strength is recorded in kilograms. Lower body strength has been used by examining the chair stand test and the gait speed test. The chair stand test provides information on how well an individual is able to stand up from a seated position until they reach a straight standing posture; the ability for the individual to do this is timed using a stopwatch. The gait speed test provides an insight on mobility and balance, the gait speed of an individual is timed over a specified walking distance.
The common physical aspects presented in Frailty is declines in muscle strength in the upper and lower body. The hand grip strength test, chair stand test and gait speed test have been found to be reliable tests for frailty.
Identifying Frailty at an early stage before it causes the onset of severe adverse health outcomes such as falls, or injuries is important. So, if you know an elderly person showing signs of declines in muscle strength or reduced mobility it is important that they see their doctor to seek medical advice on Frailty and to be provided with the best preventative therapy such as exercise programs or interventions.
Dr Hanife Mehmet
(BBiomedSc, BHlthSc/AppSc [Chinese Medicine], PhD)
