Can Frailty Be Reversed or Slowed Down?

The idea of becoming frail as we age is often daunting, concern and anxiety-inducing. Not being able to do things we used to be able to without our bodies feeling tired or depleted sounds isolating, so it’s no wonder many of us wonder whether there’s anything we can do to prevent frailty in our older years.

Whether you have a loved one experiencing frailty or are starting to see some warning signs from your own body, we’re happy to say that frailty can be slowed in certain circumstances. Things like exercise, eating well and medications may be able to reverse the signs of frailty in older adults.

In this guide, we’ll explore what frailty is, who it affects and practical tips for slowing down its symptoms.

What is frailty?

Frailty in the elderly is when the body can’t bounce back from injury and illness as quickly as it used to. This makes your body more vulnerable as a result, usually resulting in difficulties recovering from health issues. Frailty is often progressive, meaning it becomes worse with age and can eventually stop you from completing basic tasks like getting out of bed, going to the bathroom and cooking.

Some people with frailty even notice a loss of independence and dignity, as they begin to rely on others to do things for them and become housebound. It also has the potential to shorten life expectancy if no changes are made in a bid to reverse it.

It’s important to realise that frailty and physical weakness aren’t the same thing. While muscle strength might be affected by frailty, so can endurance, mental health and brain function. Frailty is more common in people over 65 years, according to Age UK, but it may happen at any age.

Symptoms of frailty to look out for

If you’re concerned about yourself or a loved one developing frailty, there are several signs to look out for. These include:

• Often feeling exhausted or fatigued
• Muscle weakness or reduced strength
• Slower movements or experiencing trouble moving around
• A reduction in balance, coordination and stability
• Incontinence
• Social isolation by avoiding going out or seeing loved ones
• Depression
• Difficulty with activities of daily living (ADLs) like dressing, bathing and preparing meals
• Losing weight without trying

Three or more of these symptoms might indicate that you’re experiencing frailty or pre-fragility. If you’re concerned about the rapid appearance of symptoms or think these signs apply to you, contact your GP for an assessment.

Potential causes of frailty

Frailty occurs when the body isn’t healthy enough to recover from injuries and illnesses that target it. Things like chronic illnesses cause inflammation in the body and wear it down over time, causing frailty to creep up on you. Alternatively, certain medications might increase the risk of falls or delirium, potentially causing frailty quicker and seemingly overnight.

Here are some potential causes of frailty:

• Short-term illnesses: The common cold, flu or food poisoning weaken the body and its immune system, contributing to the development of frailty.
• Minor injuries: Muscle sprains, strains and stress fractures require a lot of energy to recover from, taking it away from other functions within the body.
• Chronic conditions: Health issues like osteoporosis, heart disease, arthritis and asthma can contribute to or make frailty worse – and the more chronic conditions you have, the easier it is to develop.
• Age: Age changes how your body functions, including slowing down, feeling aches and pains or taking longer to do things. Around 1 in 4 people over the age of 85 experience frailty.
• Treatments for severe illnesses or injuries: Treatments might put strain on your health, especially those with bigger impacts like cancer treatments and transplant surgery. However, professionals will still recommend these if they believe that the pros outweigh the cons.
• Support network: Healthcare professionals often consider if you have a support network when determining whether you have frailty. A lack of a support network could make developing frailty more likely because it’s more difficult to get nutritious meals, medical care and social interaction.

Can frailty be reversed completely?

While there’s no guarantee that you’ll be able to reverse frailty completely, research suggests that it’s possible for many older adults, especially when interventions are used correctly.

A six-month clinical trial on frailty reversal among older adults showed that interventions such as physical exercises, proper nutrition and cognitive training significantly improved the odds of reversing frailty – especially when the interventions were used together. Between 35.6% and 47.8% of participants in the intervention group improved their frailty score, compared to 15% in the control group. What’s more, the benefits remained persistent for the following 12 months.

Many other studies have shown similar results, which suggests that frailty can be reversed, at least to some extent. Even if you’re not able to reverse your symptoms, you may be able to slow them down with lifestyle changes and healthy interventions.

Practical tips to slow down or reverse the development of frailty

Frailty isn’t completely avoidable – sometimes, you can do everything right and still notice symptoms showing up. However, there are things to do to reduce the risk of you or a loved one developing it. Steps to take include:

Stay active and alert

Remaining active with frequent exercise slows down the progression of frailty by keeping your muscles working properly. Frailty may be caused by reduced muscle strength and size, so keeping them conditioned and agile can slow down the progression of symptoms.

A recent study found that just twenty minutes of exercise a day can reverse frailty in over 65 year olds. While twenty minutes might not be achievable for everyone experiencing frailty, it indicates that any amount of exercise offers positive benefits. Simple movements like walking from room to room and taking the stairs count as exercise for frail older adults.

Reach and maintain a healthy weight

Being both over- and underweight might contribute to frailty. Underweight people may experience frailty because of their lack of muscle mass and energy reserves, while overweight individuals might experience more inflammation in their bodies, causing more mechanical stress from within.

To slow down frailty symptoms, work towards reaching and maintaining a healthy weight by eating well and staying as active as possible. Frailty is a complex condition, so some people develop it even when they can maintain a healthy weight. However, it is possible to reduce its symptoms by working towards this goal.

Focus on proper nutrition

As we get older, we may find ourselves with a smaller appetite than before. This means we stop finishing meals, potentially influencing nutritional deficiencies that don’t support muscle health. By focusing on packing proper nutrition into smaller, more manageable meals, you can fuel your body to work more efficiently and productively, which in turn will hopefully slow down or reverse frailty.

The most important things to focus on in your diet are protein, vitamins and minerals. These improve muscle strength and physical function, as well as overall well-being. Most seniors find it easier to eat three small meals a day and nutritious snacks in between, like high-protein yogurts or fruits and vegetable sticks with peanut butter dip.

Get regular health screenings

One of the most common causes of frailty is health conditions that wear the body down from the inside out, sometimes without us even knowing. However, regular health screenings may help by detecting illnesses quickly in their early stages so they can be treated before they have a chance to wreak havoc on the body.

It might almost be possible for your doctor to determine whether you’re developing frailty through a screening assessment. Several frailty screening and interventions have been developed over the last few decades, including the Clinical Frailty Scale, FRAIL Scale, Frailty Phenotype and more. Ask your doctor if you think you need a frailty assessment to determine your risk.

Prevent injuries around the home

Frailty can be reversed and slowed down, so even if you’ve begun developing symptoms, it’s still worth working towards preventing falls as much as possible. Not only will this hopefully avoid more serious injuries like fractures and concussions, but it may even help to reduce the symptoms of frailty in the long run.

Falls are a major contributor to frailty as they can significantly impact mobility and independence, preventing you from moving around freely and remaining active, increasing the risk of muscle weakness and leading to negative emotions like depression. By removing as many risks as possible, you can hopefully slow down the frailty process.

How Trinity Homecare can help

Frailty affects people in various ways, so knowing where to start to slow down or reverse its symptoms can be easier said than done. At Trinity Homecare, our experienced carers will implement practical tips and strategies into your loved one’s routine to actively avoid frailty or reverse it, while still keeping their dignity and independence as a priority.

The care we provide includes:

• One-to-one support at home
• Completely bespoke live-in care that has been tailored to you
• Specialist care for a number of different circumstances
• Home carers carefully matched to your needs
• CQC rated ‘Outstanding’ live-in care services

Trinity Homecare prides itself on matching professional, compassionate live-in and visiting carers to our clients. We’ll work with you and your loved one to create a tailored plan including interventions such as improved nutrition, fostering independence through movement and companionship to slow down or reverse their symptoms. We can change this as we go, depending on what’s working and what’s not, giving your loved one the best chance of living a life without frailty.

Talk to us today

If your loved one requires home care, chat with one of our friendly care team today. We offer a free, no-obligation enquiry and assessment service and are happy to offer information and advice to help you find the perfect home care solution.

Call us on 020 4572 5583 in confidence for a free no obligation quotation. If enquiring outside of our opening hours, please complete our online form and we will contact you the next day.