Understanding frailty and its opposites from community-dwelling older peoples’ perspectives: A phenomenological qualitative study

Background

the global population is ageing. As older people become more susceptible to frailty, an increase in frailty prevalence is also expected. Although frailty has been defined before in research, older peoples’ perceptions of frailty do not always coincide with those used in research or medical settings. Further exploring community-dwelling older people's viewpoints regarding frailty is essential for tailored care and policy.

Aim

the aim of this study was to explore the perspectives of Dutch community-dwelling older people regarding frailty and its opposing concepts.

Methods

a phenomenological qualitative study was conducted for which we carried out semi-structured interviews with independently living older people aged ≥65. Following the interviews, the participants filled out the Tilburg Frailty Indicator.

Results

the different domains of frailty: ‘physical’, ‘psychological’, and ‘social’, were recognized by participants. In addition, other aspects, such as financial capacity and digital functioning, have been identified. Four aspects of the meaning of frailty were identified in the category of other frailty definitions: ‘dependency’, ‘frailty as getting hurt’, ‘frailty as prone to deterioration’, and ‘frailty as experiences of loss and sacrifice’. Participants also described the opposites of frailty, which could also be distinguished according to the ‘physical’, ‘psychological’, and ‘social’ domains. In addition, participants mentioned the following concepts as opposing frailty: ‘vitality’, ‘resilience’, ‘independence’, ‘autonomy’, and ‘ambition’.

Conclusion

we found that frailty and its opposites share similar aspects, including physical, psychological, and social dimensions. Additionally, older people perceived cognition as an essential aspect of frailty. The psychological dimension seemed more dominant in concepts opposed to frailty, which raises opportunities to focus on the positive aspects and build on older people's (psychological) capabilities in managing frailty and its consequences. Based on these findings, policymakers and care professionals should consider the perspectives of older people regarding frailty and its opposing concepts.