A Clinical Focus on Frailty

Although frailty is not inevitable, its prevalence increases as we age, rising dramatically among the “old-old” population. Frailty has a profound impact on health and well-being; it increases risks of falls, injuries, disability, institutionalization, mood disorders, and other adverse health outcomes. It both makes the management of medical conditions and chronic problems much more difficult and contributes to caregiving needs and resource utilization.

To consider what research to date has taught us about frailty, and to identify what future research should explore, the America...