Frailty Is More Than Just Weakness. Here's What to Know

The concept of frailty goes beyond the typical notion of weakness. Two people might share the same age, such as 75, but exhibit vastly different risks of dying in the near future. In the past, scientists discovered a pattern that linked slower movements, weaker hand-grip strength, and other red flags to a condition now called frailty.

This condition is akin to long-term ailments like diabetes or Alzheimer's disease and is anticipated to become more widespread, predicts Dr. Kenneth Rockwood, a professor of medicine at Dalhousie University in Canada who created a scale for diagnosing frailty. Rockwood explains that the surge in frailty is due to the demographic shift as the leading edge of the baby boomer generation turned 75 in 2021, a stage when most aging-related diseases begin to manifest.

Identifying frailty can be achieved through a comprehensive geriatric assessment, wherein a team of healthcare professionals evaluates various aspects of an aging individual's health. However, certain potential indicators that doctors might examine, and that one might observe themselves, include a slower pace of walking—less than about 2.6 feet (0.8 meters) per second, as per one study—and a prolonged duration in the "timed up and go test," which involves timing how long it takes a person to rise from a chair, walk almost 10 feet (3 meters), turn around, return, and sit back down.

Noticing these subtle signs requires a keen eye and understanding of what to look for, according to Dr. Rockwood.

Understanding whether a person is frail is crucial as it can influence treatment decisions. While a non-frail older individual may recover swiftly from minor incidents like a fall, a tumble, a cold, or even an elective surgery, a frail person may experience a sudden decline from such events. This disparity was evident to Dr. Sara Espinoza, a geriatrician at Cedars-Mount Sinai in Los Angeles who has researched the condition.

She recalls instances where patients would recover well from hospitalizations for various health issues but others became vulnerable, leading to complications and mobility challenges. Research has shown that frail individuals face a higher risk of complications following planned surgeries. Thus, determining if a patient is frail can significantly impact a clinician's approach to addressing seemingly minor issues or deciding on elective surgeries.

The good news is that frailty may be reversible, at least to some extent. Research suggests that large elements of frailty can be reversed, particularly if addressed during a specific period. Exercise appears to play a significant role in mitigating frailty. A study published in 2023 found that a daily regimen of twenty-minute high-intensity resistance exercises, coupled with increased protein intake (around half a gram per pound of body weight) and a balanced diet, led to notable improvements in frailty.

Participants experienced enhanced grip strength, increased bone mass, and greater overall activity, indicating that lifestyle interventions can effectively improve frailty.