Patient & Caregiver Education

Disclaimer:

The information that you obtain from this website (and/or web resources linked below) is provided for informational purposes only. This website is not intended to offer medical advice from Johns Hopkins.  Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider prior to starting any new treatment, or if you have any questions regarding symptoms or a medical condition.

Aging and Frailty

As we age, many of us will experience changes in our health and our physical and mental function. Some older adults may experience a state of increased vulnerability to poor health outcomes, especially when encountering a stressor such as an infection or medical procedure. We use the term “frailty” to define this state of vulnerability. Frailty is considered to be a central syndrome of health decline within the field of geriatric medicine, along with falls, incontinence, and cognitive decline.  Our understanding of causes of frailty are still being studied, as are specific treatments to delay or prevent the onset of frailty.  Below you will find some resources related to frailty risks and tips for healthy aging.

Healthy Aging Tips

• Aging Well (Johns Hopkins Medicine)
• Stay Strong: Four Ways to Beat the Frailty Risk (Johns Hopkins Medicine)

The National Institute on Aging (NIA) offers a Health Information Portal.  Selected topics include:

• Exercise and Physical Activity
• Heathy Eating
• Maintaining a Healthy Weight

Additional Healthy Aging Resources

• Fighting Frailty Podcasts
• The Gottlieb Gallery
• National Institutes of Health: Weight Management Tips
• Centers for Disease Control: Healthy Aging Resources

Caregiving

• National Institute on Aging: Information and Resources for Caregivers

Additional Information on Frailty

• Frailty Syndrome on Wikipedia