Association between physical frailty and cognitive scores in older adults

Abstract

Objective: to investigate the association between physical frailty and cognitive scores in older adults at an Open Universityof the Third Age in Southern Brazil. Methods: descriptive cross-sectional study with convenience sample comprising 100elderly, conducted from March to June 2013. For cognitive assessment, we applied the Mini Mental State Examination andthe Edmonton Frail Scale. Results: there was a predominance of females (93%), with a mean age of 65.6 years. 81% ofthe participants were classified as non-frail, 16% as apparently vulnerable to frailty, and 3% as mild frailty. There was asignificant association between cognitive performance and frailty (p<0.006). Conclusion: the research on the associationbetween physical frailty and cognitive scores in older people promotes the construction of gerontological care plans aimedat managing this syndrome.