CUHK and Jockey Club Cadenza Hub jointly conducted a screening for frailty in the community in 2014, revealing that more than half of the community-dwelling population aged 65 or above are pre-frail and about one in eight are frail. It also reveals the correlation of frailty with the number of chronic diseases and medications. Those who have higher physical activity levels show fewer signs of frailty. Timely identification of frailty in the community can facilitate healthcare services provider to offer proper intervention.
Prof. Jean Woo (centre), chairman of the Department of Medicine and Therapeutics and director of the S.H. Ho Centre for Gerontology and Geriatrics at CUHK, explained, 'As the population ages, the number of people with frailty is expected to increase, adding burden to the healthcare and social service system. However, frailty is not an inevitable consequence of ageing. Older people who maintain regular physical exercise and cognitive training are more likely to remain healthy and live independently.'