Prevalence of Functional Impairment among Frail Elderly

Amer, Moatassem S; Farid, Tamer M; ShKhater, Mohamed; Farag, Noha M; Mabrouk, Randa A; Abdel Dayem, Tarek Kh

doi:10.12816/0002426

Prevalence of Functional Impairment among Frail Elderly

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Geriatrics and Gerontology department , Faculty of Medicine, Ain shams university, Cairo, Egypt

² Clinical Pathology department Faculty of Medicine, Ain shams university, Cairo, Egypt

³ Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ain shams university, Cairo, Egypt

10.12816/0002426

Abstract

Background
Frailty is a state of vulnerability describes a syndrome characterized by progressive multi system decline, loss of physiologic reserve, and increase vulnerability to disease and death. Frailty has emerged as a condition associated with an increased risk of functional decline among the elderly population, which may be differentiated from aging, disability, and comorbidity.
Objectives: The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence of functional impairment and cognitive functions among frail elderly.
Methods:We examined104 frail elderly. Frailty criteria included unintentional weight loss, exhaustion, weakness, low physical activity, and slow walking speed. physical function was assessed using Activities of daily living (ADL) and Instrumental activities of daily living (IADL). The cognitive function was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE).
Results:The mean age of the studied population was 69 years, 53.85% were males, 46.15% were females, the majority of our participants were illiterates (89.4%), and were living with family (84.62%), only 6.73% were smokers. 36.5% of frail participants were assisted in activity of daily living (ADL) and 7.7% were dependents, while 63.5% were assisted in instrumental activity of daily living (IADL) and 8.7% were dependents; the sample participants in general had borderline scores for MMSE, indicating a cognitive performance in the lower normal range.
Conclusions
Frail elderly had low normal score on MMSE, and high prevalence of functional impairment.

Keywords