Frailty in older age: Concepts and relevance for occupational and physical therapy

Physical and Occupational Therapy in Geriatrics

Volumn 27, Issue 2, 2008, Pages 81-95

  Daniels, Ramon ^a   Van Rossum, Erik ^a,b   De Witte, Luc ^a,b   Van Den Heuvel, Wim ^b  

^a ZUYD UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES   (Netherlands)

^b MAASTRICHT UNIVERSITY   (Netherlands)

Author keywords

Definition; Frail elderly; Frailty; Occupational therapy; Physical therapy; Prevention

Indexed keywords

EID: 68249094600     PISSN: 02703181     EISSN: 15413152     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1080/02703180802206181     Document Type: Article

References (74)

1. Aminzadeh, F., Byszewski, A., Dalziel, W.B., Wilson, M., Deane, N. & Papahariss-Wright, S. (2005). Effectiveness of outpatient geriatric assessment programs: Exploring caregiver needs, goals, and outcomes. Journal of Gerontol Nurs, 31(12), 19-25. doi: 10.1017/S0959259802121101
2. Bales, C.W. & Ritchie, C.S. (2002). Sarcophenia, weight loss, and nutritional frailty in the elderly. Annual Review of Nutrition, 22, 309-323. doi: 10.1146/an-nurev.nutr.22.010402.102715
3. Barrett, P. (2006). A case for examining the social context of frailty in later life. Australasian Journal on Ageing, 25(3), 114-118. doi: 10.1111/j.1741-6612.2006.00166.x
4. Bergman, H., Béland, F., Karunananthan, S., Hummel, S., Hogan, D. & Wolfson, C. (2004). Développement d'un cadre de travail pour comprendre et étudier la fragilité. Gérontologie et Société, 109, 15-29.
5. Bergman, H., Ferrucci, L., Guralnik, J., Hogan, D.B., Hummel, S., Karunananthan, S., et al. (2007). Frailty: An emerging research and clinical paradigm - issues and controversies. Journal of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, 62(7), 731-737.
6. Bergman, H., Hogan, D. & Karunananthan, S. (2007). La fragilité. In: M. Arcand & R. Hébert (Eds.), Précis pratique de gériatrie (Vol. 3), pp. 83-91. St-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada: Edisem Maloine.
7. Bergman, H., Hogan, D.B. & Karunananthan, S. (2008). Frailty: A clinically relevant concept? Canadian Journal of Geriatrics (in press).
8. Binder, E.F., Schechtman, K.B., Ehsani, A.A., Steger-May, K., Brown, M., Sinacore, D.R., et al. (2002). Effects of exercise training on frailty in community-dwelling older adults: Results of a randomized, controlled trial. Journal of American Geriatrics Society, 50(12), 1921-1928.
9. Binder, E.F., Yarasheski, K.E., Steger-May, K., Sinacore, D.R., Brown, M.,Schechtman, K.B., et al. (2005). Effects of progressive resistance training on body composition in frail older adults: Results of a randomized, controlled trial. Journal of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, 60(11), 1425-1431.
10. Boshuizen, H.C., Stemmerik, L., Westhoff, M.H. & Hopman-Rock, M. (2005). The effects of physical therapists' guidance on improvement in a strength-training program for the frail elderly. Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, 13(1), 5-22.
11. Boyd, C.M., Xue, Q.L., Simpson, C.F., Guralnik, J.M. & Fried, L.P. (2005). Frailty, hospitalization, and progression of disability in a cohort of disabled older women. American Journal of Medicine, 118(11), 1225-1231. doi: 10.1016/j.amjmed.205.01.062
12. Brown, M., Sinacore, D.R., Ehsani, A.A., Binder, E.F., Holloszy, J.O. & Kohrt, W.M. (2000). Low-intensity exercise as a modifier of physical frailty in older adults. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 81(7), 960-965. doi: 10.1053/apmr.2000.4425
13. Chin A Paw, M.J., de Jong, N., Schouten, E.G., Hiddink, G.J. & Kok, F.J. (2001). Physical exercise and/or enriched foods for functional improvement in frail, independently living elderly: A randomized controlled trial. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 82(6), 811-817. doi: 10.1053/apmr.2001.23278
14. Dendukuri, N., McCusker, J. & Belzile, E. (2004). The identification of seniors at risk screening tool: Further evidence of concurrent and predictive validity. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 52(2), 290-296. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2004.52073.x
15. Espinoza, S. & Walston, J.D. (2005). Frailty in older adults: Insights and interventions. Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine, 72(12), 1105-1112.
16. Faber, M.J., Bosscher, R.J., Chin A Paw, M.J. & van Wieringen, P.C. (2006). Effects of exercise programs on falls and mobility in frail and pre-frail older adults: A multicenter randomized controlled trial. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 87(7), 885-896. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2006.04.005
17. Fan, J., Worster, A. & Fernandes, C.M. (2006). Predictive validity of the triage risk screening tool for elderly patients in a Canadian emergency department. American Journal of Emergency Medicine, 24(5), 540-544. doi: 10.1016/j.ajem.2006.01.015
18. Ferrucci, L. & Fried, L.P. (2003). Frailty in Older Persons. Paper presented at the Third IUSSP Seminar on Longevity and Health, New York.
19. Fisher, A.L. (2005). Just what defines frailty? Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 53(12), 2229-2230. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415. 2005.00510.x
20. Fried, L.P., Ferrucci, L., Darer, J., Williamson, J.D. & Anderson, G. (2004). Untangling the concepts of disability, frailty, and comorbidity: Implications for improved targeting and care. Journal of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, 59(3), 255-263.
21. Fried, L.P., Tangen, C.M., Walston, J., Newman, A.B., Hirsch, C., Gottdiener, J., et al. (2001). Frailty in older adults: Evidence for a phenotype. Journal of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, 56(3), M146-156.
22. Frieswijk, N., Steverink, N., Buunk, B.P. & Slaets, J.P. (2006). The effectiveness of a bibliotherapy in increasing the self-management ability of slightly to moderately frail older people. Patient Education and Counselling, 61(2), 219-227. doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2005.03.011
23. Gill, T.M., Allore, H., Holford, T.R. & Guo, Z. (2004). The development of insidious disability in activities of daily living among community-living older persons. American Journal of Medicine, 117(7), 484-491. doi: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2004.05.018
24. Gill, T.M., Baker, D.I., Gottschalk, M., Peduzzi, P.N., Allore, H. & Byers, A. (2002). A program to prevent functional decline in physically frail, elderly persons who live at home. The New England Journal of Medicine, 347(14), 1068-1074.
25. Gitlin, L.N., Hauck, W.W., Winter, L., Dennis, M.P. & Schulz, R. (2006a). Effect of an in-home occupational and physical therapy intervention on reducing mortality in functionally vulnerable older people: Preliminary findings. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 54(6), 950-955. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2006.00733.x
26. Gitlin, L.N., Winter, L., Dennis, M.P., Corcoran, M., Schinfeld, S. & Hauck, W.W. (2006b). A randomized trial of a multicomponent home intervention to reduce functional difficulties in older adults. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 54(5), 809-816. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2006.00703.x
27. Grundy, E. (2006). Ageing and vulnerable elderly people: European perspectives. Ageing and Society, 26(1), 105-134. doi: 10.1017/So144686X05004484
28. Hallberg, I.R. & Kristensson, J. (2004). Preventive home care of frail older people: A review of recent case management studies. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 13(6B), 112-120. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2702.2004.01054.x
29. Hamerman,D.(1999). Towardan understandingoffrailty.Annals of Internal Medicine, 130(11), 945-950.
30. Hardy, S.E., Dubin, J.A., Holford, T.R. & Gill, T.M. (2005). Transitions between states of disability and independence among older persons. American Journal of Epidemiology, 161(6), 575-584. doi: 10.1093/aje/kwi083
31. Hebert, R., Bravo, G., Korner-Bitensky, N. & Voyer, L. (1996). Predictive validity of a postal questionnaire for screening community-dwelling elderly individuals at risk of functional decline. Age Ageing, 25(2), 159-167.
32. Heikkinen, E. (2003). What Are the Main Risk Factors for Disability in Old Age and How Can Disability Be Prevented? Copenhagen, Denmark: WHO Regional Office for Europe (Health Evidence Network Report).
33. Hogan, D.B., MacKnight, C. & Bergman, H. (2003). Models, definitions, and criteria of frailty. Aging Clinical and Experimental Research, 15(3 Suppl), 1-29.
34. Hooi, W.C. & Bergman, H. (2005). A review on models and perspectives on frailty in older persons. SGH Proceedings, 14(2).
35. Jones, D.M., Song, X. & Rockwood, K. (2004). Operationalizing a frailty index from a standardized comprehensive geriatric assessment. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 52(11), 1929-1933. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2004.52521.x
36. Kretser, A.J., Voss, T., Kerr, W.W., Cavadini, C. & Friedmann, J. (2003). Effects of two models of nutritional intervention on homebound older adults at nutritional risk. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 103(3), 329-336. doi: 10.1053/jada.2003.50052
37. Lally, F. & Crome, P. (2007). Understanding frailty. Postgraduate Medical Journal, 83(975), 16-20. doi: 10.1136/pgmj.2006.048587
38. Leveille, S.G., Wagner, E.H., Davis, C., Grothaus, L., Wallace, J., LoGerfo, M., et al. (1998). Preventing disability and managing chronic illness in frail older adults: A randomized trial of a community-based partnership with primary care. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 46(10), 1191-1198.
39. Levers, M.J., Estabrooks, C.A. & Ross Kerr, J.C. (2006). Factors contributing to frailty: Literature review. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 56(3), 282-291. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2648.2006.04021.x
40. Mann, W.C., Ottenbacher, K.J., Fraas, L., Tomita, M. & Granger, C.V. (1999). Effectiveness of assistive technology and environmental interventions in maintaining independence and reducing home care costs for the frail elderly. A randomized controlled trial. Archives of Family Medicine, 8(3), 210-217.
41. Markle-Reid, M. & Browne, G. (2003). Conceptualizations of frailty in relation to older adults. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 44(1), 58-68. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2648.2003.02767.x
42. Matthews, M., Lucas, A., Boland, R., Hirth, V., Odenheimer, G., Wieland, D., et al. (2004). Use of a questionnaire to screen for frailty in the elderly: An exploratory study. Aging Clinical and Experimental Research, 16(1), 34-40.
43. Min, L.C., Elliott, M.N., Wenger, N.S. & Saliba, D. (2006). Higher vulnerable elders survey scores predict death and functional decline in vulnerable older people. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 54(3), 507-511. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2005.00615.x
44. Ostir, G.V., Ottenbacher, K.J. & Markides, K.S. (2004). Onset of frailty in older adults and the protective role of positive affect. Psychology and Aging, 19(3), 402-408. doi: 10.1037/0882-7974.19.3.402
45. Pahor, M., Blair, S.N., Espeland, M., Fielding, R., Gill, T.M., Guralnik, J.M., et al. (2006). Effects of a physical activity intervention on measures of physical performance: Results of the lifestyle interventions and independence for Elders Pilot (LIFE-P) study. Journal of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, 61(11), 1157-1165.
46. Phelan, E.A., Anderson, L.A., LaCroix, A.Z. & Larson, E.B. (2004). Older adults' views of "successful aging" - how do they compare with researchers' definitions? Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 52(2), 211-216. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2004.52056.x
47. Phelan, E.A., Williams. B., Penninx, B.W., LoGerfo, J.P., & Leveille, S.G. (2004). Activities of daily living function and disability in older adults in a randomized trial of the health enhancement program. Journal of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, 59(8), 838-843.
48. Puts, M.T., Lips, P. & Deeg, D.J. (2005). Static and dynamic measures of frailty predicted decline in performance-based and self-reported physical functioning. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 58(11), 1188-1198. doi: 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2005.03.008
49. Rockwood, K. (2005). What would make a definition of frailty successful? Age Ageing, 34(5), 432-434. doi: 10.1093/ageing/afi146
50. Rockwood, K., Abeysundera, M.J.& Mitnitski, A. (2007). How should wegrade frailty in nursing home patients? Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 8(9), 595-603. doi: 10.1016/j.jamda.2007.07.012
51. Rockwood, K., Andrew, M. & Mitnitski, A. (2007). A comparison of two approaches to measuring frailty in elderly people. Journal of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, 62(7), 738-743.
52. Rockwood, K., Song, X., MacKnight, C., Bergman, H., Hogan, D.B., McDowell, I., et al. (2005). A global clinical measure of fitness and frailty in elderly people. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 173(5), 489-495. doi: 10.1503/cmaj.050051.
53. Rockwood, K., Stadnyk, K., MacKnight, C., McDowell, I., Hebert, R. & Hogan, D.B. (1999). A brief clinical instrument to classify frailty in elderly people. Lancet, 353(9148), 205-206. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736 (98) 04402-X
54. Rolfson, D.B., Majumdar, S.R., Tsuyuki, R.T., Tahir, A. & Rockwood, K. (2006). Validity and reliability of the Edmonton Frail Scale. Age Ageing, 35(5), 526-529. doi: 10.1093/ageing/afl041
55. Sager, M.A., Rudberg, M.A., Jalaluddin, M., Franke, T., Inouye, S.K., Landefeld, C.S., et al. (1996). Hospital admission risk profile (HARP): Identifying older patients at risk for functional decline following acute medical illness and hospitalization. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 44(3), 251-257.
56. Sanford, J.A., Griffiths, P.C., Richardson, P., Hargraves, K., Butterfield, T. & Hoenig, H. (2006). The effects of in-home rehabilitation on task self-efficacy in mobility-impaired adults: A randomized clinical trial. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 54(11), 1641-1648. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2006.00913.x
57. Schröder-Butterhill, E.M.R. (2006). A framework for understanding old-age vulnerabilities. Ageing and Society, 26(1), 9-35. doi: 10.1017/S0144686X05004423
58. Slaets, J.P. (2006). Vulnerability in the elderly: Frailty. Medical Clinics of North America, 90(4), 593-601. doi: 10.1016/j.mcna.2006.05.008
59. Steverink, N., Slaets, J.P.J., Schuurmans, H. & Lis van, M. (2001). Measuring frailty: Development and testing of the Groningen Frailty Indicator (GFI). Gerontologist, 41, 236-237.
60. Storey, E. & Thomas, R.L. (2004). Understanding and ameliorating frailty in the elderly. Topics in Geriatric Rehabilitation, 20(1), 4-13.
61. Stuck, A. & Kane, R.L. (2008). Whom do preventive home visits help? Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 56(3), 561-563. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2007.01561.x
62. Stuck, A.E., Egger, M., Hammer, A., Minder, C.E. & Beck, J.C. (2002). Home visits to prevent nursing home admission and functional decline in elderly people: Systematic review and meta-regression analysis. Journal of the American Medical Association, 287(8), 1022-1028.
63. Studenski, S., Hayes, R.P., Leibowitz, R.Q., Bode, R., Lavery, L., Walston, J., et al. (2004). Clinical Global Impression of Change in Physical Frailty: Development of a measure based on clinical judgment. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 52(9), 1560-1566. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415. 2004.52423.x
64. Studenski, S., Perera, S., Wallace, D., Chandler, J.M., Duncan, P.W., Rooney, E., et al. (2003). Physical performance measures in the clinical setting. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 51(3), 314-322. doi: 10.1046/j.1532-5415.2003.51104.x
65. Syddall, H., Cooper, C., Martin, F., Briggs, R. & Aihie Sayer, A. (2003). Is grip strength a useful single marker of frailty? Age Ageing, 32(6), 650-656. doi: 10.1093/age-ing/afg111
66. Timonen, L., Rantanen, T., Makinen, E., Timonen, T.E., Tormakangas, T. & Sulkava, R. (2006). Effects of a group-based exercise program on functional abilities in frail older women after hospital discharge. Aging Clinical and Experimental Research, 18(1), 50-56.
67. Tomita, M.R., Mann, W.C., Stanton, K., Tomita, A.D. & Sundar, V. (2007). Use of currently available smart home technology for frail elders; process and outcomes. Topics in Geriatric Rehabilitation, 23(1), 24-34.
68. van Haastregt, J.C., Diederiks, J.P., van Rossum, E., de Witte, L.P. & Crebolder, H.F. (2000). Effects of preventive home visits to elderly people living in the community: Systematic review. British Medical Journal, 320(7237), 754-758. doi: 10.1136/bmj.320.7237.754
69. van Iersel, M.B. & Rikkert, M.G. (2006). Frailty criteria give heterogeneous results when applied in clinical practice. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 54(4), 728-729. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2006. 00668 14.x
70. Villareal, D.T., Banks, M., Sinacore, D.R., Siener, C. & Klein, S. (2006). Effect of weight loss and exercise on frailty in obese older adults. Archives of Internal Medicine, 166(8), 860-866.
71. Walston, J., Hadley, E.C., Ferrucci, L., Guralnik, J.M., Newman, A.B., Studenski, S.A., et al. (2006). Research agenda for frailty in older adults: Toward a better understanding of physiology and etiology: Summary from the American Geriatrics Society/National Institute on Aging Research Conference on Frailty in Older Adults. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 54(6), 991-1001. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2006.00745.x
72. Wilson, J.F. (2004). Frailty and its dangerous effects might be preventable. Annals of Internal Medicine, 141(6), 489-492.
73. Woo, J., Goggins, W., Sham, A. & Ho, S.C. (2005). Social determinants of frailty. Gerontology, 51(6), 402-408. doi: 101159/000088705
74. Worm, C.H., Vad, E., Puggaard, L., Stovring, H., Lauritsen, J. & Kragstrup, J. (2001). Effects of a multicomponent exercise program on functional ability in community-dwelling frail older adults. Journal of the Aging and Physical Activity (9), 414-424.