Frailty (Canada)

Top 10 priorities

1. How can health systems be organized to provide integrated/coordinated care that would better meet the health and social care needs of older adults living with frailty, and their family/caregivers?
2. How can care, services and treatments be tailored to meet the needs of older adults living with frailty who are isolated and/or without family/caregiver support or advocates?
3. What is the impact of community- and home-based services, programs and resources in preventing and managing frailty (including slowing progression and/or minimizing the impact of frailty)?
4. What are the costs and benefits of alternative models of housing, including multigenerational or shared living, for older adults living with frailty?
5. What would help avoid unnecessary hospitalizations and emergency department visits for older adults living with frailty?
6. What frailty-related attitudes, skills and knowledge should health and social care providers have? What are effective ways of improving attitudes and providing skills and knowledge about frailty for health and social care providers?
7. What would help older adults living with frailty and their family/caregivers recognize when living at home is no longer viable?
8. What are effective ways of supporting family/caregivers of older adults living with frailty to maintain their own health and wellbeing and/or that of older adults living with frailty?
9. How can frailty measures be used by health care practitioners, older adults and family/caregivers to inform treatment and care decisions?
10. What is the impact of exercise and physical activity (including type, duration and intensity) in preventing and managing frailty (including slowing progression and/or minimizing the impact of frailty)?

The following questions were also discussed and put in order of priority at the workshop:

11. What is the best screening tool for identifying frailty in different clinical settings (including primary care, hospital and home care)?
12. What would help older adults living with frailty to continue living safely in their own home or living environment of choice?
13. What would help older adults living with frailty to maintain their independence?
14. What would ensure that older adults living with frailty and their family/caregivers have access to appropriate community-based services (including care provided at home)?
15. What is the impact of rehabilitation services in preventing and managing frailty (including slowing progression and/or minimizing the impact of frailty)?
16. What would improve care, health and quality of life for older adults living with frailty living in long-term care homes?
17. What would enable the creation of age-friendly communities that would better support older adults living with frailty?
18. What are effective approaches to motivating older adults living with frailty to remain active (including in rehabilitation activities)?
19. What would improve end of life care for older adults living with frailty and their family/caregivers?
20. What are effective ways of assessing and ensuring adequate diet and nutrition for older adults living with frailty?
21. What are effective ways of assessing and reducing risk of falls for older adults living with frailty?
22. What is the impact of diet and nutrition in preventing and managing frailty (including slowing progression and/or minimizing the impact of frailty)?