Presentation slides: G4J 2019

The talk will cover frailty, its definition, significance and what you can do about it. There will be advice on what you can do at the front door to help older, frail patients as well as a look at the different ways in which frailty consultants can work.

Age is not a barrier to intensive care but sharing decisions with older patients about intensive care admission and advanced organ support requires an understanding of the risks and an awareness of the outcomes. For older patients who are burdened by frailty and multi-morbidity, critical care may not offer a realistic chance of satisfactory outcomes. As we work to improve access to critical care for all patients who are likely to benefit, we must also work with patients to develop a shared understanding of the goals of critical care, as well as the adverse consequences and likely outcomes.