Intervention to prevent, delay or reduce frailty in community-living older adults.

Executive summary: Frailty is when the body gradually loses its in-built reserve and becomes vulnerable to sudden changes in health triggered by stress or minor illness such as a urinary tract infection. Frailty increases the risk of unfavourable health outcomes including falls, disability, admission to hospital, need for long-term care, poorer recovery and reduced quality of life compared to those who are not frail. Prefrailty is an intermediate stage between non-frail and frail, with loss of in-built reserves but the ability to recover after a stressor event. The prefrail have more than twice the risk of becoming frail compared to those who are non-frail. Evidence suggests the ‘prefrail’ state may be a window of opportunity for effective interventions. Potential interventions include physical activity alone or in combination with nutrition and/or brain training. Evidence for interventions targeting other aspects of frailty such as cognition, social outcomes and psychosocial wellbeing (depression and loneliness) is limited but have been advocated. The use of Information Communication Technology (ICT)/eHealth in frailty interventions demonstrates potential for self-management, improved health and cost effectiveness