FRAILTY CRITERIA AMONG OLDER PEOPLE LIVING IN THE COMMUNITY. AN UPDATE
Criterios de fragilidad en personas mayores que viven en la comunidad
Author
Iriarte, Evelyn; Clínica Vespucio
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
Araya, Alejandra Ximena; Profesor investigador
Facultad de Enfermeria
Universidad Andres Bello
Abstract
Frailty is an important concept in aging research and care. Awareness of frailty signs allows healthcare workers to identify older adults at risk and design interventions to prevent their functional decline, therefore preventing adverse health outcomes. This literature review allows to identify predictors of frailty considering its physical, psychological and social domains. From the evidence found, it is possible to formulate a profile of fragility older people. Finally, future research should focus on the description of psychological and social fragility profiles, on the detection of persons likely to be fragile and finally to define precise instruments to detect fragile people, which should become the gold standards in future research. Frailty is an important concept in aging research and care. Awareness of frailty signs allows healthcare workers to identify older adults at risk and design interventions to prevent their functional decline, therefore preventing adverse health outcomes. This literature review allows to identify predictors of frailty considering its physical, psychological and social domains. From the evidence found, it is possible to formulate a profile of fragility older people. Finally, future research should focus on the description of psychological and social fragility profiles, on the detection of persons likely to be fragile and finally to define precise instruments to detect fragile people, which should become the gold standards in future research.