Background: A multi-centre community-based frailty intervention programme was designed using a comprehensive needs assessment and integrating holistic multi-dimensional interventions to target frailty.

Methods: Participants were recruited from older adults aged 60. Participants were screened using the FRAIL scale. Those found to be pre-frail or frail were invited to participate in the year long programme. Individualised care plans were developed, and participants underwent various combinations of the five intervention tracks based on their specific needs: Physical, Medical, Nutritional, Cognitive, and Psychosocial. The primary outcome was frailty status measured by the FRAIL scale, and intermediate outcomes were measured for each of the five intervention tracks. Outcomes at 6-months and 12-months were compared to baseline.

Findings: At 12-months from the start of interventions, 46% of participants had an improved FRAIL score, 40% maintained their baseline FRAIL score, and 14% had worse scores. Paired sample means of FRAIL scores at 12 months vs baseline improved by -0.43 (SD 0.92, 95% CI [-0.66 – -0.20], p<0.001); self-reported health rating improved by +5.82 (SD 15.64, 95% CI [1.78 – 9.86], p=0.006). Intermediate outcomes measured at 6-months showed improvements from baseline: systolic blood pressure (difference in mean: -6.57, SD 20.00, 95% CI [-10.46 – -2.68], p=0.001); nutritional scores (difference in mean: +0.4, SD 1.63, 95% CI [0.08 – 0.72], p=0.16); Functional Ambulatory Category scores (difference in mean: +0.13, SD 0.45, 95% CI [0.02 – 0.24], p=0.019). Conclusion: This programme demonstrates how health and social services may be integrated and delivered through a multi-dimensional community-based frailty intervention programme. By anchoring care in the community and adopting a de-medicalised approach, this programme has the potential to be more cost-effective, sustainable, and scalable in reversing frailty than other programmes published in literature.

Authors:
Grace Chiang, Alexandra Hospital, Singapore

About the Presenter(s)
Dr Grace Chiang is a Consultant Family Physician at Alexandra Hospital. She is currently the Honorary Editor of the Singapore Family Physician Journal and is also part of the College of Family Physicians Singapore council.

See this presentation on the full schedule – Tuesday Schedule

Bookmark