Publicação

Reconsidering frailty from a human and social sciences stand point: towards an interdisciplinary approach to vulnerability

Detalhes bibliográficos
Resumo:	Although frailty is an important,well characterized concept in the provision of medical care to older adults,it has not been linked to the concept of vulnerability developed in the humanities and social sciences. Here, we distinguish between the two main dimensions of vulnerability: a fundamental, anthropological dimension in which people are exposed to a risk of injury, and a relational dimension in which people depend on each other and on their environment. The relational notion of vulnerability might provide health care professionals with a better understanding of frailty (and its potential interaction with precarity). Precarity situates people in their relationship with a social environment that might threaten their living conditions. Frailty corresponds to individual level changes in adaptation to a living environment and the loss of ability to evolve or react in that environment. Therefore, we suggest that by considering the geriatric notion of frailty as a particular form of relational vulnerability, healthcare professionals could better understand the specific needs of frail,older people—and thus provide more appropriate care.
Autores principais:	Sabot, Philippe
Outros Autores:	Di Martino, Carla; Moroni, Christine; Aluffi Pentini, Anna; Pabjan, Barbara; Machado, Maria Manuela Pereira; Katkoniene, Agata; Czajkowski, Paweł; Bardauskiene, Raminta; Beuscart, Jean-Baptiste; Encarnação, Paula; Fernandes, Anabela Silva; Fabio, Olivieri; Fernandez, Diego Pinal; Pivoriene, Jolanta; Posłuszny, Łukasz; Petronilho, Fernando; Sourial, Nadia; Sousa, Sonia S.; Teodorescu, Adriana; Vedel, Isabelle; Zemaitaityte, Irena; Zuber, Marcelina
Assunto:	Frailty Care Vulnerability Precarity Geriatrics Older people Ciências Sociais::Outras Ciências Sociais
Ano:	2023
País:	Portugal
Tipo de documento:	artigo
Tipo de acesso:	acesso aberto
Instituição associada:	Universidade do Minho
Idioma:	inglês
Origem:	RepositóriUM - Universidade do Minho

Descrição
Resumo:	Although frailty is an important,well characterized concept in the provision of medical care to older adults,it has not been linked to the concept of vulnerability developed in the humanities and social sciences. Here, we distinguish between the two main dimensions of vulnerability: a fundamental, anthropological dimension in which people are exposed to a risk of injury, and a relational dimension in which people depend on each other and on their environment. The relational notion of vulnerability might provide health care professionals with a better understanding of frailty (and its potential interaction with precarity). Precarity situates people in their relationship with a social environment that might threaten their living conditions. Frailty corresponds to individual level changes in adaptation to a living environment and the loss of ability to evolve or react in that environment. Therefore, we suggest that by considering the geriatric notion of frailty as a particular form of relational vulnerability, healthcare professionals could better understand the specific needs of frail,older people—and thus provide more appropriate care.