Assistive devices use as coping strategy of frailty management: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Abstract Background: Frailty has been described as the most problematic expression in the context of considerable aging progression. Moreover, frailty-associated disability severely affects individuals and the society. Evidence has suggested that assistive devices (ADs) usage can slow functional decline, improve dependency and well-being with aging. Considering there is a paucity of published evidence on elderly assistive aids for the management of frailty, the present study aimed to shed light on the potential mediating effect of assistive devices usage on the frailty through the relationship between frailty and disability, and provide a theoretical basis for a health behavior intervention for frailty. Methods: Convenience sampling method was used to select 335 older adults aged over 60 years using the FRAIL scale and the Barthel index for Activities of Daily living (ADL). Pearson’s r correlations were used to examine the association between the frailty, disability and assistive devices use and structural equation modelling (SEM) was to test a hypothetical mediation model. Results: Of the 335 sample aged 60 or older, the participants’ mean age was 70.8 years old (SD = 6.6), mean scores of frailty and ADL disability was 2.71 (SD = 1.3) and 50.39 (SD = 24.5), respectively. Merely 21.8% of the participants were using ADs. Pearson’s ranalsysi demonstrated that ADL disability and ADs use were significantly correlated with frailty. Lastly, ADs use mediated the relationship between frailty and disability. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that ADs usage may potentially serve as a tool for frailty management by mediating the association between frailty and disability. However, at present, ADs usage rate is rather low at the context of amounting rates of frailty. Therefore, the routine assessment of frailty and prescription of elderly assistive products are crucial when designing and implementing health promotion programme for elderly persons.