Effectiveness of a multicomponent frailty management program among community-dwelling older adults in Singapore: A pilot-controlled trial

a) Research question: This study aimed to test if the 12-week multicomponent program was more effective in reducing frailty and its adverse consequences than the standard fitness program b) Background information This study was conducted at two community sites. c) Participant characteristics 16 participants in both groups were predominantly female (78%) and Chinese (83%) with more than half had more than 2 chronic health conditions. All participants from both groups were able to walk independently. Both groups had a similar level of frailty and mobility function with more than half requires walking aids in walking. d) Key results: The experimental group had a higher weekly attendance rate (64.1%) as compared to the control group (54.2%) during the 12-week intervention. Eight participants in each group had a significant reduction in the level of frailty immediately after the 12-week intervention. The results were sustained 3 months after with 5 participants from each group who were successfully followed up. The experimental group reported reduced fear of falling with no falls, whereas the control group reported two single falls during the study period. e). Limitations: The main limitation was the small size and high attrition rate in both groups. Non-randomization and unblinded assessors may affect the results. Hence, findings from this study should be interpreted with caution.