The Frailty Identity Crisis

Frailty is a common and central problem of old age. Recent research has defined frailty as an accumulation of deficits or as a distinct clinical syndrome involving specific comorbid physical disorders and functional impairment, but the psychological aspects of frailty have received little attention. It is proposed that the onset of frailty is associated with an identity crisis, a psychological stage of adult development termed the frailty identity crisis. This framework could be useful to focus attention on the psychological aspects of frailty for research and clinical purposes. Early detection, management, and counseling of individuals experiencing the frailty identity crisis has implications for the health and quality of life of frail individuals, their loved ones and caregivers, and society.