Call to treat frailty as a condition to be recognised, treated

Frailty is much more than just getting old, but it can be avoided or even reversed if treated correctly as a medical condition, according to Melbourne researchers.

Frailty must be considered and treated as a medical condition in its own right and not just an accepted part of ageing, researchers are warning.

Evidence is growing that frailty can be halted or reversed if diagnosed correctly, providing a chance to avoid a lower quality of life and a higher risk of disability, falls, dementia, hospitalisation, and premature death as people age.

Rather than being misunderstood as an unavoidable condition for elderly patients suffering other health conditions, the latest research from Monash University suggests frailty must be treated as its own syndrome to combat its effects.

The latest research from Monash University suggests frailty must be treated as its own syndrome to combat its effects.

The groundbreaking study of 120,000 people over 60, across 28 countries, provides the clearest picture yet of the effects of frailty, which is a major contributor to the poor health and morbidity of Australians.

While almost one in 20 older people were found to be suffering potentially fatal frailty, the Monash team revealed a further 15 per cent were “pre-frail” and on the verge of the condition, where it could still be reversed.

With one in five Australians to be aged over 60 by 2050, the study’s leader, Professor Danny Liew, said it was vital frailty was treated as its own medical condition.

One in five Australians will be aged over 60 by 2050.

“There is an objective criteria and, if you meet them, then you have frailty,” Prof Liew said.

“The analysis of how common it is and who it might be affecting gives us the capacity to prepare.

“For example, we know frail people are likely to have more complications, so aggressive surgery might not be a good option.

“It is important to acknowledge and recognise it because we can do something about it.”

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The Monash research, published in theJournal of the American Medical Association, found 4.3 per cent of people over 60 develop medical frailty, while many more become pre-frail as they deteriorate from robust, healthy lives.

Prof Liew said evidence varied about whether brain training or mild exercise could overcome frailty, however weight training and dietary supplements were proven to stop and even reverse the regression.

“People can recover and transit away from frailty and pre-frailty,” Prof Liew said.

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