Fragility in elderly people: the influence of social relationships

Carmen Nuin-Orrio, Pilar Jürschik-Giménez, Miguel Angel Escobar-Bravo, Teresa Botigué-Satorra, and Ana Lavedan-Santamaría

School of Nursing, University of Lleida, Spain

Fragility is an aging-related symptom. It has been shown that elderly people are at a high risk of adverse events associated with fragility (mortality, morbidity, hospitalization and disability). The progressive increase of fragility throughout aging is not homogenous, but this process can be sped up or slowed down by several biological, psychological and social factors.

Some authors point to housing location (suburbs), social services’ assistance, and bad social relationships as being among the social aspects that influence fragility in older adults living in the community. Indeed, socially-isolated individuals show a high risk of fragility.

If we are able to identify fragility in patients, and the factors that determine it, we may find new ways of fragility prevention or treatment.

In this paper, we shall describe a project that will be carried out between the autumn of 2008 until 2011, the aim of which is to study age-related fragility processes and associated biological, psychological and social changes, as well as the consequences that determine an adverse result in people aged seventy-five or over who live in their own home in the city of Lleida. Apart from this, we shall also present the first results of the pilot study that we are currently running, putting emphasis on the structural aspects of social relationships, taking into account the existence of a spouse, children or other family members and friends, the distance at which they live, and the physical and telephone contacts between them. We will also consider the existence of a confidant and social participation.