Frailty is a condition that accelerates the vulnerability toward stressors caused by declining physiological reserves in late life, which can result in functioning impairment, requisite long-term care, and eventual death.
In addition to physical problems like an increased risk of falling and reduced agility due to deteriorating strength, the concept of frailty also includes psychiatric and psychological problems, such as cognitive impairment, depression, and anxiety, and social problems such as social isolation and financial distress.
In the past, the idea of frailty has been translated to Japanese by using words that give the impression of “an irreversible state of decline that accompanies old age.”
But some individuals who are susceptible to frailty can expect to preserve or improve their vital functions (thus reversing the state of frailty) through appropriate interventions in their early stages.
For that reason, the Japanese Geriatrics Society has also elected to use the term フレイル (frailty) in Japanese to eliminate the misconception that functional decline is irreversible.*1
Frailty does not refer solely to a decline in physical ability. It is a comprehensive notion that also includes psychiatric and psychological problems, such as cognitive impairment, and depression, and social problems such as social isolation and financial distress. The Frailty Yoga we promote at MEDCAREYOGA is intended to reduce the potential risk of frailty that lies dormant in elderly people.
Frailty Yoga is more than just exercise guidance—it is a holistic discipline that includes:
– Early detection of frailty
– Education on the concept of frailty
– Proper nutritional guidance
– Emotional support through creation of community
[References]
1. Statement on frailty from the Japanese Geriatrics Society
