Understanding Frailty in Assisted Living Residents
Author Information
Author(s): Elizabeth A Freiheit, David B Hogan, Laurel A Strain, Heidi N Schmaltz, Scott B Patten, Misha Eliasziw, Colleen J Maxwell
Primary Institution: University of Calgary
Hypothesis
The absolute cut-points for frailty criteria would be too inclusive and limit the ability to discriminate AL residents at higher risk for adverse outcomes.
Conclusion
The CHS criteria for frailty were problematic and only marginally improved the prediction of adverse outcomes in assisted living residents.
Supporting Evidence
- 48% of residents were categorized as frail using absolute cut-points.
- Frail women had a higher risk of death and hospitalization compared to non-frail women.
- Frail men showed a significantly increased mortality risk compared to non-frail men.
Takeaway
This study looked at how to measure frailty in older people living in assisted living facilities and found that the usual methods might not work well for them.
Methodology
The study used two interpretations of the CHS frailty criteria on a sample of 928 assisted living residents to assess risks of mortality and hospitalization.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to a high percentage of missing data and the exclusion of residents with cognitive impairments.
Limitations
The study's findings may not be generalizable to all assisted living populations due to the exclusion of residents with certain conditions and the high prevalence of dementia and depression in the sample.
Participant Demographics
The cohort was predominantly female (76.7%) with an average age of 84.9 years.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Confidence Interval
95% CI 1.08-2.83 for mortality and 95% CI 1.20-1.96 for hospitalization.
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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