Multidimensional and Physical Frailty in Elderly People: Participation in Senior Organizations Does Not Prevent Social Frailty and Most Prevalent Psychological Deficits.

Magdalena Sacha,Katarzyna Wieczorowska-Tobis,Jerzy Sacha

doi:10.3389/fpubh.2020.00276

Abstract

Purpose: The study explores how the involvement in community-based senior organizations affects the prevalence of multidimensional and physical frailty among community dwelling elderly people.Materials and Methods: The group of 1,024 elderly people (270 males) over the age of 65 years (mean age 72.6 ± 6.3 years; range 65–93 years) took part in this study. The subjects completed a questionnaire regarding multidimensional (i.e., the Tilburg Frailty Indicator, TFI) and physical frailty (i.e., the FRAIL scale), as well as factors associated with frailty and participation in senior organizations.Results: The prevalence of multidimensional frailty (if at least 5 points in the TFI) was 54.6%, and the prevalence of physical frailty (if at least 3 points in the FRAIL scale) and a non-robust status (if any point in the FRAIL scale was positive) was 6.3 and 52.9%, respectively. The most prevalent frailty deficits were missing other people (66.6%), feeling nervous or anxious (65.9%), and feeling down (65.5%). Members of senior organizations presented a lower prevalence of multidimensional and physical frailty comparing with non-members. This was mainly caused by a lower prevalence of physical deficits and problems with memory; however, the prevalence of social deficits was similar in both groups. Senior organizations had no influence on the most widespread frailty deficits, i.e., missing other people, feeling nervous or anxious, and feeling down.Conclusions: Multidimensional frailty and physical non-robust status are common among people over the age of 65 years. Participation in senior organizations is associated with lower risk of physical frailty; however, it has no effect on social frailty and the most prevalent psychological deficits. This information has important implications for practical management with senior problems and may influence community strategies concerning elderly people.

Highlights

Since the human society is aging, age-related problems are becoming more and more prevalent in the general population [1]
This study explores how the involvement in communitybased senior organizations affects the frailty prevalence as well as physical, psychological, and social domains of human functioning among community dwelling elderly people
Senior organizations may constitute a critical ingredient for this ideology; the present study shows that social and psychological aspects are not sufficiently covered by the current form of these organizations

Summary

Introduction

Since the human society is aging, age-related problems are becoming more and more prevalent in the general population [1]. Frailty is one such problem associated with the ongoing demographic changes, and it constitutes a significant burden for both health and social systems as well as national economies [2, 3]. Frailty is usually considered as a set of physical deficits causing a decrease in overall reserve capacity; it can concern psychological and social domains of human functioning [4,5,6,7]. The elderly people may present different types of functional deterioration and require an individualized approach to ensure their independence and good functioning [10]

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Conclusion