The Lived Experience of Frailty: Beyond Classification and Towards a Holistic Understanding of Health
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Journal ArticleDate:
2024Author:
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Chenhui Chenhuichen, Aisling M. O'Halloran, Deirdre Lang, Rose Anne Kenny, Roman Romero-Ortuno, The Lived Experience of Frailty: Beyond Classification and Towards a Holistic Understanding of Health, European Geriatric Medicine, 2024Abstract:
Purpose:
Frailty is characterised by decreased physiological reserves and vulnerability to stressors.
Although scales such as the Fried’s Frailty Phenotype (FP), Frailty Index (FI), and
Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) are used to identify frailty, the lived experience of frailty
remains understudied.
Methods:
This cross-sectional observational research involved participants aged 65 years and older
from Wave 1 of The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA). Participants were
categorised into four independent groups: three frail groups based on the aforementioned
scales and a non-frail group. Quantitative variables including self-rated health, CASP-19
quality of life score, and frequency of social activities, were analysed and described.
Results:
The study encompassed 1999 participants with an average age of 72 years, of whom 51%
were women. FP exclusively identified 1.6% as frail (n=32), FI 11.7% (n=233), and CFS
6.8% (n=135). More than 60% of all those classified as frail reported their health as good,
very good, or excellent, with the lowest proportion (64%) being among frail by FI
participants. Frail by FI participants exhibited the lowest mean average CASP-19 score,
yet it remained relatively high at 39 out of 57 points. Over 77% of all frail individuals
engaged in active leisure activities at least once a month.
Conclusion:
This study underscores the need to comprehend frailty holistically beyond its mere
identification. It challenges the prevailing belief that frailty inevitably leads to impaired
quality of life and limited social engagement. The findings advocate for a reassessment
of how both the general public and healthcare professionals perceive frailty.
Sponsor
Grant Number
Science Foundation Ireland (SFI)
18/FRL/6188
Author's Homepage:
http://people.tcd.ie/romeroorDescription:
IN_PRESS
Author: Romero-Ortuno, Roman
Type of material:
Journal ArticleSeries/Report no:
European Geriatric Medicine;Availability:
Full text availableKeywords:
Comparative study, Frailty, Lived experience, Ageing perceptions, Psychology, AgeismSubject (TCD):
Ageing , Frailty & ResilienceMetadata
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