What is Frailty?
Frailty means your recovery from accidents, illness or other stressful events can take longer or be more difficult.
It is more common as we age, but younger people can also live with frailty.
People living with frailty might notice or be affected by:
- Weakness and muscle loss
- Feeling tired or lethargic
- Slowing down or a decrease in mobility
- Needing more help with daily tasks like getting dressed
- Loss of appetite or weight loss without trying
- Taking a long time to recover from illness
- Falls
- Loss of bladder or bowel control
- Having problems with thinking, learning, remembering, making decisions or solving problems (sometimes called cognitive impairment)
- Delirium, a short term, sudden or intermittent change in mental state such as being confused, disorientated, lethargic or muddled
- Side effects of medication (Polypharmacy - when multiple medications are taken each day for conditions)
- Poorly controlled long-term conditions, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease or respiratory conditions
- Progressive decline in health due to multiple conditions or symptoms
Self-care
Self-care starts with looking after your health to help you stay well.
Steps that can help prevent frailty, or improve your health and wellbeing if you are living with frailty:
- Be active
- Exercise regularly
- Eat a balanced diet
- Stop smoking
- Reduce alcohol intake
- Maintain a healthy weight
If you are finding it hard to manage on your own or with caring for a loved one, explore Live Well B&NES Supporting adults to live independent lives to find information and local activities and support services which can support you, or the person you care for, including groups and activities for older people, support for carers, health and wellbeing services, including prevention and keeping well, and help to staying living independently in your own home. Try the Unsure where to start tool, for personalised search results based on a series of questions about your needs.
Bath & North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Together offers advice on self-care. This includes, using the NHS website for clinical advice on symptoms and treatment for common illnesses, suggestions for what to keep in your medicine cabinet at home, when to ask your local pharmacist for advice, recommended health and wellbeing apps and how to reduce the risk of falls.
Age UK Healthy living is a comprehensive guide that can help you think about ways to look after yourself both physically and mentally.
Falls
Anyone can have a fall, but older people are more vulnerable and likely to fall, especially if they have a long-term health condition. Around 1 in 3 adults over 65 and half of people over 80 will have at least one fall a year. The fear of falling is also common and can have a negative impact on our wellbeing. NHS Falls gives information about the causes of and preventing falls, as well as what to do if you do fall.
There are simple things you can do to help yourself feel more confident and avoid a slip or fall. Age UK Staying steady guide gives information about how to reduce your risk of falling.
Bath & North East Somerset Falls Service provide a specialist Falls and Balance Clinic offering advice, support and treatment if you have a difficulty with balance, are at risk of falling, or you have had an unexplained fall. You will usually be referred to the Falls Service by your GP, and you may be offered a Falls Assessment.
Medicines
Research indicates that many people do not take their medications as recommended, and it can be especially difficult for those who struggle with memory or have multiple medications to remember. Patient gives practical advice about how to help manage your medications at home.
If you are taking medication for a long-term health condition and are struggling with things such as remembering to take a dose, opening child-proof bottles, using an asthma inhaler or applying eye drops, your pharmacist can help you better understand your medicines and solve any medication challenges. You may also be able to access a Structured Medication Review (SMR) at your pharmacist.
Bladder and bowels
People can experience problems with bladder and bowels at any age. But as we get older, these problems can become more of an issue in day-to-day life. Bladder and bowel problems aren’t anything to be embarrassed about, and it’s important to speak to your GP practice if you’re at all worried.
Age UK Bladder and bowel problems provides more information and guidance.
Bath & North East Somerset District and Community Nursing team offer nursing care to people who are housebound, supporting a wide range of health issues including continence care.
Long-term conditions
If you are living with a long-term condition, such as arthritis, asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, angina (chest pain), heart failure or high blood pressure, it can help to have a good understanding of your condition and what treatment options are available to you. Research suggests that people do better when they take responsibility for managing their own long-term condition, in partnership with their doctors. Understanding your condition and knowing what treatment options are available will give you the confidence to recognise when to manage your own condition ('self-care') and when to ask for help.
Independent Age offers tips for keeping yourself well if you're living with one or more long-term health conditions.
Ask for help or support
If you have lost confidence or are worried about your mobility, falling, bladder and bowel issues, medicines or anything else, information and support is available and it’s important not to worry about asking for help.
Keep in touch with your GP practice and ask if they will consider a longer appointment. There are also other healthcare professionals working in general practices across Bath & North East Somerset who can support you, including practitioners and social prescribers. They, as well as GPs, can also refer you to services in the local area that support people living with frailty, including Adult Community Health Services provided by HCRG and those available through The Community Wellbeing Hub.
It’s important to remember that there is a range of choices concerning your health and care that you can expect. Choices available to you include:
- The right to choose a GP surgery and to be accepted by that practice unless there are reasonable grounds to refuse
- The right to express a preference for using a particular doctor
- The right to choose which hospital to go to when referred by a GP for specialist care and treatment
- The right to be involved in all personal healthcare decisions
Find out more about GP services for older people on the Age UK website.
The Community Wellbeing Hub provides a central place for you to access a range of services to improve your health and wellbeing, including support with; keeping active and healthy, health and wellbeing support, financial and money matters, accessing food, lifestyle services such as stop smoking and achieving a healthy weight, housing advice, employment, skills and training, wellbeing courses and volunteering, supporting carers and home from hospital services. You can call The Community Wellbeing Hub on 0300 247 0050.
If you're struggling to do things on a daily basis and think you might need extra support from social care, find out about care needs assessments and how to ask for one.
An Integrated Care Record (ICR) brings together the various electronic records of your care and presents it in a structured and easy-to-read format for health and care professionals to use. Bringing together your physical health, mental health, environment and social support in one place helps to provide a joined-up service to support you.
Plan ahead
It’s a good idea to plan ahead for your future health and care. Think about what care you might wish for in the future and what interventions you might not want. Discuss your wishes with a health professional and your family and friends as this can help make sure anyone looking after you knows what matters to you. You might want to put in place an Advance Care Plan.
You can find information and support around advocacy and handling someone else’s affairs by browsing Help to make important decision on Live Well B&NES. You can also find Help and support for carers.