Objectives: To develop and validate a frailty index (FI) from interRAI-Community Health Assessments (CHA) on older adults in retirement villages (RVs).
Methods: This is a cross-sectional analysis of a current RV research study. A FI was generated using the cumulative deficit model. Health-care utilisation measures were acute, and all, hospitalisations 12 months before baseline assessment. Associations between FI and hospitalisations were explored using multivariable logistic regression to estimate odds ratio (OR).
Results: Of 577 included residents, mean (SD) age was 81 (7) and 419 (73%) were female. Mean (SD) FI was 0.16 (0.09); 260 (45%) were mildly frail, and 108 (19%) moderate-severely frail. In multivariate-adjusted analysis, odds of acute hospitalisation for mild (OR = 3.3, P < .001) and moderate-severely frail (OR = 6.4, P < .001) were significantly higher than fit residents. Higher odds were also observed for all hospitalisations.
Conclusion: A considerable proportion of RV residents were moderately-severely frail. FI was associated with acute and all hospitalisations.
Keywords: frailty; geriatric assessment; hospitalization; housing for the elderly; independent living.
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