Frailty in nursing homes: The SENIOR cohort

The world's population is ageing, and according to the World Health Organization (WHO), the number of people aged over 80 will triple between 2020 and 2050. This ageing process is accompanied by functional decline including loss of mobility and frailty, leading some elderly people to be placed in nursing homes. Frailty is a major syndrome that develops as a consequence of age-related decline in several physiological systems, which results in a state of vulnerability.  

In this course, Professor Olivier Bruyère reviews the definition and diagnosis of frailty, highlights the associated comorbidities, and presents some socio-demographic and clinical data, using the example of the SENIOR cohort which prospectively monitors Belgian nursing home residents. 

Key Learning Objectives of this course include:

• To review the definition and diagnosis of frailty
• To understand the association between frailty and other factors such as low physical performance, low cognitive status, and malnutrition
• To highlight specific particularities of nursing home residents compared to community-dwelling older people
• To explore strategies and potential solutions for addressing frailty in nursing homes. 

Recorded on May 2024