Citation

Shirai S, Kwak MJ, Lee J. South. Med. J. 2022; 115(4): 276-279.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, Southern Medical Association)

DOI

10.14423/SMJ.0000000000001380

PMID

35365845

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.

METHODS: 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.

Language: en