New horizons in frailty: the contingent, the existential and the clinical

• DOI: 10.1093/ageing/afz032
• Publication Date: 2019-03-15T21:53:07Z
• Authors: Susan Pickard; Victoria Cluley; Jason Danely; Hanne Laceulle; Jorge Leon-Salas; Bram Vanhoutte; Roman Romero-Ortuno
• Keywords: Reductionism

In the past decade, frailty research has focused on refinement of biomedical tools and operationalisations, potentially introducing a reductionist approach. This article suggests that new horizon in lies more holistic approach to health illness old age. would build approaches view healthy ageing terms functionality, sense intrinsic capacity interplay with social environment, whilst also emphasising positive attributes. Within this framework, is conceptualised as originating much biological domain; co-existing attributes resilience, situated continuum illness. Relatedly, science-based studies involving interviews with, observations of, frail, older people indicate biographical context which arises might be impactful subsequent trajectory than crisis precipitates it. For these reasons, interpretive methodologies, derived from sciences humanities, will particular use geriatrician understanding health, perspective person. These may included toolkit purpose identifying how factors jointly underpin fluctuations designing interventions accordingly. Such an bring clinical closer views experiences who live frailty, well traditions geriatric medicine itself.