Frailty: What To Do
A state of reduced physiological reserve in which minor illness produces disproportionate decline.
Last revised
It is not an inevitable consequence of age and it is partly reversible, particularly through exercise and nutrition.
Key takeaways
- Markers: slow walking speed, weight loss, exhaustion, low activity, weak grip
- Most effective intervention: resistance exercise and adequate protein
- Most useful single change: Do resistance exercise; it is the single most effective intervention.
- Commonest mistake: Accepting decline as inevitable.
- See a doctor if any of the signs under "When to get help" below apply to you.
Do
- Do resistance exercise; it is the single most effective intervention
- Eat enough protein, spread across meals
- Ask for a comprehensive geriatric assessment if you are becoming frail
- Address hearing, vision, teeth and feet, all of which affect function
Do not
- Accepting decline as inevitable
- Prolonged bed rest during illness, which accelerates loss
- Under-eating, which is common and often unnoticed
The figures behind the list
Each item above follows from these, published in the guidance named at the foot of the page.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Markers | slow walking speed, weight loss, exhaustion, low activity, weak grip |
| Most effective intervention | resistance exercise and adequate protein |
| Protein, older adults | often advised at 1.0-1.2g per kg a day |
| Comprehensive geriatric assessment | improves outcomes |
Where to go next
- The Evidence on Frailty, Without the Hype
- Why Frailty Matters, Explained Simply
- Frailty — the reference entry
- Loneliness and Ageing: What Published Guidance Supports
- Continence: Sorting the Evidence From the Noise
When to get help
Seek prompt assessment for unintentional weight loss, repeated falls, new confusion, or a sudden decline in function — in older adults these often indicate acute illness rather than gradual ageing. Any acute change over hours or days warrants urgent review.
Where this comes from
- NICE — Multimorbidity: clinical assessment and management
- British Geriatrics Society — frailty
How this page was put together
Every figure, recommendation and warning above is taken from the guidance named in Where this comes from. Nothing on this page is inferred, summarised or generalised beyond what those bodies publish: where they give a number, it is their number, and where they are silent, so are we. Pages are rebuilt whenever the underlying record changes. Sign-off by a named clinician, where it has happened, is shown at the top of the page along with the date.
Medical disclaimer
This article is general information, not medical advice. It cannot account for your own history, medication or circumstances. Always speak to a GP, pharmacist or another qualified health professional before making changes that affect your treatment, and never delay seeking medical advice because of something you have read here. In an emergency, call 999.