Olga Theou1,2, Edwin C K Tan3, J Simon Bell1,3,4, Tina Emery5, Leonie Robson5, John E Morley1,6,7, Kenneth Rockwood1,2, Renuka Visvanathan1,8,9. 1. National Health and Medical Research Council Centre of Research Excellence, Trans-disciplinary Frailty Research to Achieve Healthy Aging, South Australia, Australia. 2. Geriatric Medicine, Dalhousie University and Nova Scotia Health Authority, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. 3. Centre for Medicine Use and Safety, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. 4. Sansom Institute, School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. 5. Resthaven Incorporated, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. 6. Division of Geriatric Medicine, School of Medicine, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri. 7. Division of Endocrinology, School of Medicine, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri. 8. Adelaide Geriatrics Training and Research with Aged Care Centre, School of Medicine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. 9. Aged and Extended Care Services, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Central Adelaide Local Health Network, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To compare the FRAIL-NH scale with the Frailty Index in assessing frailty in residential aged care facilities. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. SETTING: Six Australian residential aged care facilities. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals aged 65 and older (N = 383, mean aged 87.5 ± 6.2, 77.5% female). MEASUREMENTS: Frailty was assessed using the 66-item Frailty Index and the FRAIL-NH scale. Other measures examined were dementia diagnosis, level of care, resident satisfaction with care, nurse-reported resident quality of life, neuropsychiatric symptoms, and professional caregiver burden. RESULTS: The FRAIL-NH scale was significantly associated with the Frailty Index (correlation coefficient = 0.81, P < .001). Based on the Frailty Index, 60.8% of participants were categorized as frail and 24.4% as most frail. Based on the FRAIL-NH, 37.5% of participants were classified as frail and 35.9% as most frail. Women were assessed as being frailer than men using both tools (P = .006 for FI; P = .03 for FRAIL-NH). Frailty Index levels were higher in participants aged 95 and older (0.39 ± 0.13) than in those aged younger than 85 (0.33 ± 0.13; P = .008) and in participants born outside Australia (0.38 ± 0.13) than in those born in Australia (0.34 ± 0.13; P = .01). Both frailty tools were associated with most characteristics that would indicate higher care needs, with the Frailty Index having stronger associations with all of these measures. CONCLUSION: The FRAIL-NH scale is a simple and practical method to screen for frailty in residential aged care facilities.
OBJECTIVES: To compare the FRAIL-NH scale with the Frailty Index in assessing frailty in residential aged care facilities. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. SETTING: Six Australian residential aged care facilities. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals aged 65 and older (N = 383, mean aged 87.5 ± 6.2, 77.5% female). MEASUREMENTS: Frailty was assessed using the 66-item Frailty Index and the FRAIL-NH scale. Other measures examined were dementia diagnosis, level of care, resident satisfaction with care, nurse-reported resident quality of life, neuropsychiatric symptoms, and professional caregiver burden. RESULTS: The FRAIL-NH scale was significantly associated with the Frailty Index (correlation coefficient = 0.81, P < .001). Based on the Frailty Index, 60.8% of participants were categorized as frail and 24.4% as most frail. Based on the FRAIL-NH, 37.5% of participants were classified as frail and 35.9% as most frail. Women were assessed as being frailer than men using both tools (P = .006 for FI; P = .03 for FRAIL-NH). Frailty Index levels were higher in participants aged 95 and older (0.39 ± 0.13) than in those aged younger than 85 (0.33 ± 0.13; P = .008) and in participants born outside Australia (0.38 ± 0.13) than in those born in Australia (0.34 ± 0.13; P = .01). Both frailty tools were associated with most characteristics that would indicate higher care needs, with the Frailty Index having stronger associations with all of these measures. CONCLUSION: The FRAIL-NH scale is a simple and practical method to screen for frailty in residential aged care facilities.
Authors: Rachel Milte; Jasmine Petersen; Jo Boylan; Tim Henwood; Sarah Hunter; Belinda Lange; Michael Lawless; Stacey Torode; Lucy K Lewis Journal: BMC Geriatr Date: 2022-05-14 Impact factor: 4.070
Authors: Andrea Gruneir; Candemir Cigsar; Xuesong Wang; Alice Newman; Susan E Bronskill; Geoff M Anderson; Paula A Rochon Journal: BMC Geriatr Date: 2018-07-05 Impact factor: 3.921