Abstract
Background: Frailty is a multidimensional clinical state that is common in older age and can be managed through intervention. Strategies to manage frailty have not been previously explored with stakeholders in Poland. This may stem from misperceptions about the nature and malleability of frailty, which has resulted in it being viewed as a lower priority healthcare concern.Objectives: To explore stakeholders’ views to determine whether there are effective everyday strategies that they can adopt to reduce, reverse or prevent frailty.Methods: Semi-structured focus groups were conducted with five stakeholder groups (frail/pre-frail and robust older adults, health and social care professionals and family caregivers) in Poland (n = 44). Data was analysed using a reflexive thematic analysis approach.Results: Two themes were developed. The first emphasized both the positive everyday and more effortful strategies used by individuals to counter frailty; these included the adoption of healthy lifestyle behaviours, social engagement and shared experiences. Stakeholders perceived that older adults, even frail ones, might benefit from engaging in meaningful activities to build resilience against frailty. The second examined formal interventions delivered by health and social care professionals. Stakeholders noted the need to increase awareness of the malleability of frailty among professionals.Conclusion: Raising awareness of the malleability of frailty amongst health and social care professionals is critical. Further, information provision and personal support should be essential elements of health interventions aimed at older adults and family caregivers. Interventions to support resilience building in older adults should also be framed within a model of fostering self-efficacy.KEY MESSAGESStakeholders suggested that frailty should be viewed as a dynamic process with opportunities for treatment and improvement.Stakeholders believed that even frail older adults would benefit from engaging in meaningful but everyday activities to build resilience against frailty.Interventions designed to manage frailty should be carefully labelled to avoid stigma.
Highlights
Frailty is a multidimensional, clinical condition characterized as a state of increased vulnerability to adverse health outcomes when exposed to a stressor, for example, a chronic disease diagnosis, an acute infection, or a fall [1,2,3]
Frail older adults focused on the physical difficulties encountered, including a gradual age-related decline in physical health and tiredness
Professional stakeholders focused on how frailty was generated through psychological hardships, social isolation and loneliness
Summary
Clinical condition characterized as a state of increased vulnerability to adverse health outcomes when exposed to a stressor, for example, a chronic disease diagnosis, an acute infection, or a fall [1,2,3]. Frailty is a multidimensional clinical state that is common in older age and can be managed through intervention. Strategies to manage frailty have not been previously explored with stakeholders in Poland. This may stem from misperceptions about the nature and malleability of frailty, which has resulted in it being viewed as a lower priority healthcare concern. Methods: Semi-structured focus groups were conducted with five stakeholder groups (frail/prefrail and robust older adults, health and social care professionals and family caregivers) in Poland (n 1⁄4 44). The first emphasized both the positive everyday and more effortful strategies used by individuals to counter frailty; these included the adoption of healthy lifestyle behaviours, social engagement and shared experiences. Interventions to support resilience building in older adults should be framed within a model of fostering self-efficacy
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