Older Adults' Perspective towards Participation in a Multicomponent Frailty Prevention Program: A Qualitative Study

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Public Health
• Community Health

Background:

• Frailty is a significant concern in aging populations, particularly in older Chinese adults.
• Community-based interventions are crucial for managing and preventing frailty in older adults.
• Understanding participant perspectives is vital for designing effective frailty prevention programs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore pre-frail and frail older Chinese individuals' perspectives on a group-based frailty prevention program.
• To identify factors influencing participation and sustained engagement in such programs.
• To gather insights for optimizing future frailty intervention designs.

Main Methods:

• Seven focus groups were conducted with 38 community-dwelling older adults (aged 54-84) screened with pre-frailty or frailty.
• Participants had completed a 12-week multi-component frailty prevention program (physical, cognitive, social activities).
• Thematic analysis was employed to analyze qualitative data from the interviews.

Main Results:

• Perceived health benefits, peer support, and social networking emerged as key motivators for initial program participation.
• Adherence to the program was motivated by perceived health benefits, socializing, sense of connectedness, expert guidance, and maintaining dignity.
• Participants reported positive impacts on physical health, psychological well-being, and social life.

Conclusions:

• Multi-component, group-based frailty prevention programs can positively impact older adults' health and social well-being.
• Program design should consider factors like health benefits, social connection, expert support, and dignity to enhance participation and adherence.
• These findings offer valuable insights for developing sustainable community-based frailty interventions for older adults.