In common language, frailty means being weak, delicate and vulnerable. This can be caused by health problems, and it can make people more likely to get health problems. NHS England describes frailty as: "a loss of resilience that means people do not bounce back quickly after a physical or mental illness, an accident or other stressful event." A guideline by the British Geriatrics Society in association with the Royal College of General Practitioners and Age UK defines frailty as a distinctive health state related to the ageing process in which multiple body systems gradually lose their in-built reserves. It recommends that health professionals consider frailty when caring for older people, and assess people to see if they qualify as frail. If they are considered frail, there should then be a plan of care specifically made for them and their individual needs. In particular, care plans should work out how to avoid crises, and how to best manage them when they occur.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original article at https://patient.info/senior-health/ageing/frailty-and-multimorbidity