Evaluating the use of the Fit-Frailty App in inpatient rehabilitation units to monitor frailty in older adults

Frailty is a medical condition of reduced health and function. Older adults with complex health needs are often admitted to rehabilitation after surgery or prolonged hospitalization to restore their function. Monitoring frailty enables medical teams to tailor treatment interventions, such as rehabilitation, accordingly. However, pre-existing frailty assessment tools are time-consuming, resource-intensive, and impractical for routine clinical use.

The Fit-Frailty App, developed at the Geras Centre for Aging Research, is a tool based on the Rockwood Frailty Index approach that can be used to assess frailty efficiently. Virtual and in-person App assessments have been validated and can be administered by clinicians, researchers, and even trained volunteers in only 10-15 minutes. The App was previously tested as a diagnostic tool and we hypothesize it will also be sensitive to changes in frailty before, during, and after rehabilitation. By recruiting patients attending partnering rehabilitation clinics at Hamilton Health Sciences, this study seeks to evaluate the integration of the App compared to preexisting tools to improve routine monitoring of frailty in rehabilitation inpatient units. App results will provide valuable information over time to guide medical teams in implementing better treatment plans and thus, routinely monitoring and improving health outcomes in older adults.