When we think of the word “frailty,” we normally think “weak” or “helpless.” Although there is no consensus on how to define frailty, we will find it entails more than the common understanding. Wilson and Margarida Abreu do a good job of capturing the essence of frailty in their recent article: “Frailty is a multidimensional concept that can be defined as a dynamic state that affects an individual with declines in one or more domains, such as physical, cognitive, social, attention or senses. There is usually a dependence on self-care and need of support from others.”
This is especially pertinent to seniors. Frail seniors are more susceptible to disability or falling. However, the problem is not the age, but the aging process. As the Abreu’s put it: “Elderly does not mean frailty, but the ageing process led to frailty…”
As stated earlier, there is decline in at least one aspect of one’s life. There are structural and physiological changes that happen in a senior’s major organ systems. Important brain cells are negatively affected, major hormones stop being produced, the immune system’s regulatory cells (i.e. macrophages, T-lymphocytes, and B-cells) are negatively altered, and skeletal muscle strength and power declines. All, as a collective, severely affect the way seniors live and think.
Luckily, with the help of an article by M.D. David Flinders, there are things seniors can start doing in order to prevent frailty and ensure a healthy aging process:
- Staying active. Seniors may be scared to be active because of the risk of falling but living a sedentary lifestyle will actually accelerate frailty in a senior. Weakened muscles will result, which will make a senior more dependent. A simple way of staying active is walking. A stroll through the park or a walk around the block will be a good enough start! A study showed that mobile seniors were less likely to fall or suffer a disability.
- Eating a balanced diet. Good nutrition will also be key. A diet that includes a healthy amount of protein will encourage muscle growth and strength. A senior’s body will have increasing needs as they age, and not maintaining a diet that will cater to those needs will negatively affect the senior in the long run.
- Monitor medication. There are some medications that seniors should be aware of that affect their overall balance or electrolyte levels. Both will contribute to weakness in a senior. If need be, taking supplements is also an option and can be recommended by a physician for seniors that must take medication(s) for health conditions.
Frailty means vulnerability but does not mean helplessness. It doesn’t have to be the inevitable consequence of aging for the senior. Steps can be taken to prevent, or at least decrease its negative effects. This takes self-awareness and listening to one’s body to cater to their needs in order to promote strength in all domains.
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By: Jonathan Reza
Office Support Specialist at WellPath Partners
B.S. in Philosophy at University of Redlands
M.A. candidate in Philosophy at California State University, Long Beach
