title: Frailty Levels in Residential Aged Care Facilities Measured Using the Frailty Index and FRAIL-NH Scale.
abstract: To compare the FRAIL-NH scale with the Frailty Index in assessing frailty in residential aged care facilities.
  
  
  
  Cross-sectional.
  
  
  
  Six Australian residential aged care facilities.
  
  
  
  Individuals aged 65 and older (N = 383, mean aged 87.5 ± 6.2, 77.5% female).
  
  
  
  Frailty was assessed using the 66-item Frailty Index and the FRAIL-NH scale. Other measures examined were dementia diagnosis, level of care, resident satisfaction with care, nurse-reported resident quality of life, neuropsychiatric symptoms, and professional caregiver burden.
  
  
  
  The FRAIL-NH scale was significantly associated with the Frailty Index (correlation coefficient = 0.81, P < .001). Based on the Frailty Index, 60.8% of participants were categorized as frail and 24.4% as most frail. Based on the FRAIL-NH, 37.5% of participants were classified as frail and 35.9% as most frail. Women were assessed as being frailer than men using both tools (P = .006 for FI; P = .03 for FRAIL-NH). Frailty Index levels were higher in participants aged 95 and older (0.39 ± 0.13) than in those aged younger than 85 (0.33 ± 0.13; P = .008) and in participants born outside Australia (0.38 ± 0.13) than in those born in Australia (0.34 ± 0.13; P = .01). Both frailty tools were associated with most characteristics that would indicate higher care needs, with the Frailty Index having stronger associations with all of these measures.
  
  
  
  The FRAIL-NH scale is a simple and practical method to screen for frailty in residential aged care facilities.
authors: National Health and Medical Research Council Centre of Research Excellence, Trans-disciplinary Frailty Research to Achieve Healthy Aging, South Australia, Australia.|Geriatric Medicine, Dalhousie University and Nova Scotia Health Authority, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
authors: Olga
authors: O
authors: Theou
authors: Centre for Medicine Use and Safety, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors: Edwin C K
authors: EC
authors: Tan
authors: National Health and Medical Research Council Centre of Research Excellence, Trans-disciplinary Frailty Research to Achieve Healthy Aging, South Australia, Australia.|Centre for Medicine Use and Safety, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.|Sansom Institute, School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors: J Simon
authors: JS
authors: Bell
authors: Resthaven Incorporated, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors: Tina
authors: T
authors: Emery
authors: Resthaven Incorporated, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors: Leonie
authors: L
authors: Robson
authors: National Health and Medical Research Council Centre of Research Excellence, Trans-disciplinary Frailty Research to Achieve Healthy Aging, South Australia, Australia.|Division of Geriatric Medicine, School of Medicine, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri.|Division of Endocrinology, School of Medicine, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri.
authors: John E
authors: JE
authors: Morley
authors: National Health and Medical Research Council Centre of Research Excellence, Trans-disciplinary Frailty Research to Achieve Healthy Aging, South Australia, Australia.|Geriatric Medicine, Dalhousie University and Nova Scotia Health Authority, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
authors: Kenneth
authors: K
authors: Rockwood
authors: National Health and Medical Research Council Centre of Research Excellence, Trans-disciplinary Frailty Research to Achieve Healthy Aging, South Australia, Australia.|Adelaide Geriatrics Training and Research with Aged Care Centre, School of Medicine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.|Aged and Extended Care Services, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Central Adelaide Local Health Network, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors: Renuka
authors: R
authors: Visvanathan
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D040561:Assisted Living Facilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001315:Australia; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D016330:Frail Elderly / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006707:Homes for the Aged / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D014894:Weights and Measures
keywords: FRAIL scale; Frailty Index; aged care facilities; frail elderly; long-term care; nursing home