Courses

Frailty - Assessment, Risk Reduction and Management

OVERVIEW

The concepts of frailty, deconditioning and sarcopaenia, loss of muscle and strength, are relatively new and our knowledge of these conditions is growing.  Our population is ageing, in 1951 average male life expectancy was 66.4 years, by 2016 this had risen to 79.5 years. The average female life expectancy rose from 71.5 to 83.1 years.  The average man will have 16.2 years (20%) in poor health and the average woman, 19.2 years (23%) of poor health.

Ageing is associated with reduced levels of physiological reserve. Around 10% of people aged 65+ and 25-50% of people aged 85+ are frail.

“Frailty is a distinctive health state related to the ageing process in which multiple body systems gradually lose their in-built reserves” (BGS, 2014)

Frailty is not an inevitable part of ageing; it is a long term condition. It varies in severity and can improve or worsen.

This study day examines the factors that increase the risk of frailty and what the nurse, as part of the multidisciplinary team can do to reduce risks and improve quality of life.

Who should attend?
Most people who use health services are older people and this day will benefit nurses in all settings who wish to have a greater understanding of normal ageing and disease processes such as frailty.

The day aims to improve your understanding of risk factors and evidence based interventions.

CONTENT

How to live a long and healthy life:

• What do you know?
• What is ageing?
• How age related changes affect respiratory, cardio-vascular, gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal and renal systems
• Fries compression of morbidity
• When to consider frailty

Assessing for frailty:

• Comprehensive geriatric assessment and the clinical frailty scale
• Identifying and addressing risks: enabling and empowering

Medication:

• Impact in frailty, delirium and falls, exploration of STOPP/START, Beers Criteria and cholinergic burden

Cognitive assessment: 

• In hospital and community settings

Holistic care:

• Increasing care and support as frailty increases, the risks of hospitalisation and integrating care.

AIMS AND OUTCOMES

The day aims to improve your understanding of risk factors and evidence based interventions. Candidates attending will learn:

• How to live a long and healthy life
• How age related changes increase the risk of frailty and what can be done to reduce these risks
• The main features of frailty, sarcopenia (loss of muscle and strength), poor nutrition, falls, and risk of hospital admission.
• Who is at risk of frailty and what can we achieve by assessment and interventions
• Patient centred care and treatment
• The role of medication in frailty, falls and delirium exploration of STOPP/START and Beers criteria
• Cognitive assessment in ward and community settings

ATTENDED BY

• Nurses
• Nursing Associates
• Allied Health Professionals

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