Introduction of a Frailty Leaflet to Increase Knowledge and Awareness for Patients and Carers

Background:

Frailty is a growing public health issue due to the aging population. Early recognition and awareness are key in preventing deterioration and promoting independence. A leaflet was created to:

• Encourage conversation about frailty.
• Highlight the importance of lifestyle interventions and discharge planning.
• Include local contact numbers and community support services.
• Support early detection, reduce avoidable hospital admissions, and promote healthier aging at home.

Aims:

• Assess the effectiveness of the leaflet in improving patient and carer awareness.
• Support recognition and understanding of Frailty.
• Promote appropriate community support through D2RA (discharge to reassess) model.
• Ensure patients and carers are informed about available resources.

Project Details:

• Conducted with 20 patients admitted to the ward or their carers, and family members
• Participants completed a pre-leaflet survey on their baseline knowledge.
• Received the leaflet containing: educational content, Frailty indicators, D2RA pathways, Community support contacts
• Completed a post-leaflet survey to evaluate changes in:  Awareness, Understanding and Confidence in home management

Outcomes:

• Increased understanding of frailty, deconditioning and D2RA prior to post leaflet (10/20 to 20/20, 6/20 to 19/20, 8/20 to 19/20 respectively).
• Increased confidence in community contacts (from 3/20, extremely or very confident, to 16/20)
• Positive feedback on usefulness of the leaflet (20/20 found extremely or very useful).

Conclusion:

Overall, the frailty leaflet served as an effective tool to support education about aging in hospital and at home by empowering the patients and carers/family with the information needed to navigate care pathways and helps reduce hospital admissions. Continued use and development of such resources are recommended as part of wider frailty awareness and prevention strategies.