"I Can't Do as Much as I Used to": Concept of Frailty as Defined by Older Adults

Frailty is a concept that lacks a consistent definition and operationalization across disciplines. Utilizing Straussian grounded theory, this study sought to explore how older adults viewed frailty in order to establish a more patient-centered use of the term. Researchers agree that frailty is multidimensional, exists on a continuum, and varies over time. However, this study proposes that frailty as experienced by older adults, is a highly individualized self-concept, formed by personal and social interactions and processes between older adults and their social networks, centered around aging and the prospect of dependency, forming the basis of a patient-centered concept of frailty.