Antiaging Dock: Evaluation of Frailty

Frailty and its concept are summarized in a statement released by the Japan Geriatrics Society in 2014 as “a state that is prone to outcomes such as functional impairment, need for care, and death due to the decline in physiological reserve capacity in old age, which enhances vulnerability to stress.” Frailty has an intermediate, reversible nature that is located between health and the need for care, and is distinguished from states that already have physical functional impairment or comorbidities. In our country, it is considered important to evaluate frailty and implement appropriate interventions based on it in order to further extend healthy life expectancy and promote prevention of care. In fact, frail elderly people are more likely to have health problems such as daily life functional impairment, falls, hospitalization, and a higher mortality rate. The evaluation of frailty in our country is also important for estimating the life and functional prognosis of the elderly and practicing comprehensive medical care.