Frailty assessment in the emergency department.

Background: Frailty (defined as weakness, slowness, weight loss, exhaustion, and physical inactivity) is characterized by increased vulnerability to stressors. Frail older patients are at increased risk of Emergency Department (ED) visits, hospitalization, disability, and death.

Objectives: Our aims were to determine the prevalence of frailty (and assess the feasibility of measuring frailty) in older ED patients.