Frailty: an overlooked clinical syndrome

摘要

WHY is frailty in the ageing population a rural and remote issue? Of course the issue of distance is a major one for the frail elderly who live in rural and remote areas. Unlike those living in urban communities, the frail in rural and remote settings have limited access to transport for trips to health professionals. Nor do they have the same access to carers, whether government-supported or family and friends, as the frail elderly living in urban areas.Further, our parents lived longer than their parents and there has been a large increase in number of elderly in rural areas, but many of their children are not staying. And unless we manage to reverse the trend in type 2 diabetes and its associated problems, many of this older generation are predicted to outlive their offspring. This will further complicate the issues that make ageing and frailty important to rural and remote pharmacists.