Screening and diagnosis

Classification and risk stratification

Perioperative care

Quality improvement

Patient education

Nonpharmacologic interventions

Therapeutic procedures

Respiratory support

Follow-up and surveillance

Specific circumstances

Preventative measures

Medical management

Surgical interventions

Inpatient care

Diagnostic procedures

Diagnostic investigations

Insufficient evidence to make a recommendation.

Strongly favor this test or intervention.

The Clinical Frailty Scale is a tool used to classify an individual's level of frailty based on a selection that describes their fitness or frailty. This classification helps in assessing the individual's physical and cognitive abilities as well as their degree of independence in daily life activities. Here’s how it works:

- The scale provides a list of descriptions, each capturing a different level of fitness or frailty. The individual selects the description that best matches their current condition.
- Each description corresponds to a specific level of frailty, ranging from "very fit" to "terminally ill."

Here's a breakdown of the descriptions and their corresponding frailty levels:

1. Individuals who are robust, active, energetic, and motivated, regularly engaging in exercise, are categorized as "Very fit."
2. Those without active disease symptoms, but who exercise or are active occasionally, are considered "Well."
3. People with well-controlled symptoms, who are active only through routine walking, fall under "Managing well."
4. If symptoms limit activity, leading to complaints of feeling "slowed up" or tired during the day, they are labeled as "Vulnerable."
5. When there is more evident slowing and help is needed in high-order instrumental activities such as managing finances and transportation, the label is "Mildly frail."
6. Needing help with outside activities and house maintenance, requiring assistance with stairs and bathing, indicates "Moderately frail."
7. Complete dependence on personal care, yet stable and not at high risk of imminent death, describes the "Severely frail."
8. Complete dependence and inability to recover even from minor illnesses suggest "Very severely frail."
9. Approaching the end of life with a life expectancy of fewer than six months, with no apparent frailty, indicates "Terminally ill."

Using this scale, the user’s selection directly translates to a specific level of frailty, which can aid healthcare professionals in evaluating and planning the appropriate care strategy.

The Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) is a tool used to assess the level of frailty in older adults, typically those aged 65 and above. The scale is designed to provide a measure of the patient's vulnerability to adverse outcomes, including disability, hospitalization, and mortality. The CFS is particularly useful in geriatric medicine, where it can help guide treatment decisions and care planning. It is based on patient's physical activity, energy, physical ability, and health changes. The scale ranges from 1 (very fit) to 9 (terminally ill). The CFS may not be appropriate for use in younger populations or in individuals with primarily cognitive impairment, as it does not specifically assess cognitive function.

Clinical Frailty Scale

Falls in the elderly

Risk prediction

Risk prediction (assessment of nutritional status)

Risk prediction (cardiovascular assessment)

Exercise interventions

General principles

Patients with Parkinson's disease

Management of patient concerns

Patients in care homes

Multifactorial interventions

Vitamin D/calcium supplementation

Risk prediction (screening for environmental hazards)

Indications for screening

Inpatient prevention strategies

Risk prediction (assessment of mental health)

Medication review

Environmental modifications

Vestibular rehabilitation

Diagnostic imaging

Risk prediction (assessment of vision and hearing)

Risk prediction, general principles

Patients with hip fracture

Risk prediction (assessment of urinary symptoms)

Management of pain

General counseling

Inpatient assessment

Management of cardiovascular issues

Management of vestibular issues

Risk prediction (assessment of gait and balance)

Clinical history

Risk prediction (assessment of dizziness)

Management of impaired vision

Risk prediction (assessment of pain)

Hip protectors

Updated 2024 AAFP guidelines for the prevention of falls in the elderly


Falls in the elderly

Background

Overview

Guidelines

Key sources