Frailty and Seasonality

Frailty in older adults is a complex condition in which only a minor external stressor may cause severe complications leading to death (1, 2). In the context of the recent devastating bushfires in Australia and the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, recognising and protecting those affected has magnified the impact and public health importance of frailty. Effects of frailty include bodily deterioration and the failure of physiological systems to cope with changes in the environment (2). Frailty prevalence is around 9–17% in community-dwelling older adults aged 65 years and over (1) and renders an older adult at heightened risk of adverse outcomes such as infections, hospitalisation, pre-mature admission to care facilities, and mortality (2, 3). Although the physiological and functional decline that occurs with frailty usually occurs gradually over a number of years, this functional decline can occur rapidly when external stressors are present (2).