The Opinions of Turkish Older Adults Related to Frailty: A Qualitative Study

Frailty is a geriatric syndrome characterized by decreased daily living activity, weight loss, weakness, and dependency caused by the cumulative decline in many physiological systems over the life span. This study examined older adults' perceptions of frailty. The study used a descriptive qualitative design. Data were collected using semistructured interviews with 14 older adults admitted to the geriatrics outpatient clinic in one Turkish institution from September to December 2019. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed using the MAXQDA data analysis software. Codes were combined into themes. The respondents were aged 74.5 ± 8.7 years. Two themes emerged from the qualitative data: (i) the conceptualization of frailty; and (ii) coping with frailty. Some of the participants self-identified as frail, a natural consequence of aging. Another group of participants emphasized the feelings of hopelessness and hopefulness in coping with frailty in their remaining lives. This study provides insights into older Turkish adults' opinions regarding frailty, including the development of frailty and its relationship with health status and daily life. This understanding may be used to detect frailty in older adults and to improve frail older adults' care interventions.