Unstable disability and the fluctuations of frailty

Abstract

Despite increasing use in the literature of old age,'frailty' remains an ill-defined term. The components offrailty have not been sufficiently defined to be used toidentify a research population or a group requiring apublic health intervention. It is currently too indefinitea state to be used to identify particular needs in anindividual, indeed being 'too frail' may be used tojustify investigative and therapeutic nihilism. However,we contend that, properly defined, with the majorcontributing factors to frailty teased out, it is a usefulconcept and is the essential component of thatimportant condition of old age—unstable disability.