Identification and management of frailty in the primary care setting

Abbasi et al cite that frailty is a state of increased vulnerability to negative health outcomes that manifest as a multidimensional syndrome; it has gained recognition as a priority for health care systems. The impacts of frailty warrant an upstream, proactive, holistic, interprofessional primary care approach to its identification, assessment and management. Identifying frailty at an earlier stage can be challenging and is best complemented with the use of valid, reliable tools that are also feasible in the busy primary care setting. Multicomponent interventions for management of frailty should be based on the patient's health needs, priorities and level of frailty, with involvement of various team members. An effective multicomponent approach may include care and support planning, physical activity, dietary interventions, structured medication reviews and strengthening social networks.