What is Frailty Fundamentals?
Frailty fundamentals is a suite of resources to support health and social care professionals delivering care to individuals living with frailty. This page provides links to exemplar evidenced best practice, real life case studies and links to recent published literature.
In addition there are a number of Wessex AHSN developed resources to support the delivery of rehabilitation services and MDTs in a post Covid-19 context.
Wessex Academic Health Science Network Limited (WAHSN) has undertaken the horizon scanning activity in goodwill for the purpose of improving healthcare services and has no commercial interest in any of the information presented. Wessex AHSN’s research activity is not intended to include an exhaustive list of resources and Wessex AHSN are not responsible should there be a relevant resource or link produced that has not been identified and reported in this document.
We intend for this page to be updated as new best practice examples emerge. For further information or to share your best practice examples with us, please contact our Healthy Ageing team healthyageing@wessexahsn.net.
Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment
Building on the findings from the 2018 Wessex Acute Frailty Audit and the MDT project, the development of a best practice approach for the delivery of the Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment The approach will include supporting implementation documentation, hints and tips, guidance on how CGA data can be shared digitally, creating a joined-up process with health and social care professionals. Resources will be added to the Wessex AHSN CGA implementation toolkit as the project progresses, but please do get in touch at healthyageing@wessexahsn.net for more details.
Rehabilitation Best Practice Approaches for older adults during and post Covid-19 pandemic
Pre Covid-19, rehabilitation was important, enabling people to not only survive illness and disease (both mental and physical) but to live the lives they chose to live. Numerous resources, guidance documents and case examples have emerged during the Covid-19 pandemic as national and local systems have raced to develop frameworks to support rehabilitation services for older adults:
- Recovering from Covid-19 together with those deconditioned from shielding (self-isolation/social distancing)
- Experiencing mental health problems either caused or exacerbated by social isolation
- With a range of conditions whose rehabilitation has been interrupted due to staff redeployment and cessation of face-to-face appointments during the Covid-19 pandemic
Frailty practitioners within Wessex AHSN community and primary care expert group suggested that bringing rehabilitation resources and case examples together in one place for Wessex would be invaluable for the local system. Aim of the project to develop a quick reference toolkit for health and social care professionals and those commissioning rehabilitation services for older adults living in Wessex consisting of:
Top tips guide:
A summary of top rehabilitation tips from a national literature search together with case example contributions from clinicians across Wessex.
Key resources and links table:
A table of key resources and links for quick reference embedded within the top tips guide highlighting resources and some of the articles of interest that have been written during this time.
Developing a MDT (Multi- Disciplinary Team) approach to meet the needs of older adults living with moderate to severe frailty in the community - Sharing of approach and insights from across Wessex
Medicines Optimisation
Wessex Academic Health Science Network (WAHSN) is the national lead for the AHSNs’ Medicines Optimisation (MO) Programme and works collaboratively with the other 14 AHSNs to develop, share and spread good practice. The overarching aim of the MO programme is to help patients get the maximum benefit from their medicines. Please take a look at their resources:
