Translating Frailty Assessment Methodologies and Research-based Evidence to Clinical Education and Practice

ABSTRACT

Frailty is a common clinical syndrome that predisposes older adults to an increased risk of adverse health outcomes. With population aging, this will become an increasing challenge for the healthcare services; therefore, different models of healthcare training and provision are required to address these increasing demands. In Ireland, the National Clinical Programme for Older People (NCPOP) has partnered with The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA) to deliver the National Frailty Education Programme. This demonstrates an innovative way in which evidence-based longitudinal research can be translated into clinical education and practice to improve patient care, following a Knowledge to Action (KTA) process. To the authors’ knowledge, it is the first time that a longitudinal research study such as TILDA has employed such methods of translation and therefore, this collaboration could serve as an international model of translation and implementation for frailty and other areas of clinical priority.

KEYWORDS:

• Translation
• longitudinal
• frailty
• education

Key points

• The National Frailty Education Programme is being delivered in Ireland.

• Provides model of translating evidence-based longitudinal research into clinical education and practice.

• Promotes earlier recognition of frailty, improved healthcare management, and better health outcomes.

• 269 frailty facilitators delivered programme to 2000 multidisciplinary healthcare professionals.

Acknowledgments

Content and materials for Recognising Frailty: Insights from TILDA were developed by Ms Mary O’Shea (Research Nurse), Ms Laura Freeman (Research Nurse), Dr Orna Donoghue (Project Manager) and Prof Rose Anne Kenny (Principal Investigator).

Recognising Frailty: Insights from TILDA was delivered by Ms Mary O’Shea.

The following members of the TILDA team contributed to the delivery and organization of the education day: Ms Kate Brennan, Dr Sarah Bowman, Ms Anna Davies, Dr Orna Donoghue, Ms Lucy Doogan, Ms Margaret Harkin, Dr Siobhan Leahy, Dr Christine McGarrigle, Ms Sinead McLoughlin, Dr Catriona Murphy, Ms Joanna Orr, Ms Aideen Sheehan, Mr Niall Turner.

The NCPOP’s Advisory and Working Groups contributed to development of the Fundamentals of Frailty programme, and recruitment of participants onto the TILDA education day.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

TILDA was funded by the Irish Government; the Atlantic Philanthropies; and Irish Life plc. These funders have no role in the design, methods, subject recruitment, data collection and analysis of TILDA data, the design and delivery of Recognising Frailty: Insights from TILDA or the preparation of this paper. Delivery of Recognising Frailty: Insights from TILDA to the healthcare professionals was funded by the Office of the Nursing & Midwifery Services Director (ONMSD).