Original Article

Measures of Frailty in Homebound Older Adults

Authors: Sara Shirai, BS, Min Ji Kwak, MD, DrPH, Jessica Lee, MD, MS

Abstract

Objectives: Frailty, a geriatric syndrome associated with high morbidity and mortality, has rarely been assessed in homebound older adults. As such, we evaluated the prevalence of frailty among older adults enrolled in a home-based primary care program.

b We measured frailty using the Fried Frailty Phenotype criteria of unintentional weight loss, weakness, poor endurance, slowness, and low physical activity.

Results: Of 25 homebound patients (average age 73), 14 (56%) were frail, 11 (44%) were prefrail, and none (0%) were robust. Among those who took ≥5 medications, 63% were frail and 37% were prefrail, and among those who had ≥10 comorbidities, 57% were frail and 43% were prefrail. We also observed that frailty in our homebound older adults was mainly driven by slow gait speed.

Conclusions: Frailty is prevalent in homebound older adults and may be related to slower gait speed, polypharmacy, and/or multimorbidity.
Posted in: Geriatric Syndromes9

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