Let's fight the stigma around ageing and frailtyman

Let's fight the stigma around ageing and frailty Focusing on the physical deficits of old age means we are not paying enough attention to other aspects of health and wellbeing

There needs to be a radical shift in how frailty is presented as a health and social care issue. Last year, a senior NHS clinician wrote the following on the importance of diagnosing frailty:

Frailty remains an easy condition to recognise. Today, however, there are far greater numbers of older people than ever before, and while frailty can develop throughout adult life the numbers of older people living with the condition has increased substantially. With a highly developed healthcare system supporting us to later life, we should not be surprised when frailty declares itself as a health or social care crisis.

By pursuing an over-medicalised approach to frailty, we are in danger of ignoring other aspects of a person’s wellbeing. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• What providers should do to improve long-term care for frail older people The Guardian
• Who are you calling old? Let’s ditch ageist stereotypes The Guardian