03/2026 journal articles
EDITORIAL : ACCESS TO EMERGING HEALTH TECHNOLOGIES IN AGING: FROM INNOVATION TO INCLUSION
Emanuele Marzetti, Anna Picca, Riccardo Calvani, Hélio José Coelho-Júnior
J Frailty Aging 2026;15(3)
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CITATION:
Emanuele Marzetti ; Anna Picca ; Riccardo Calvani ; Hélio José Coelho-Júnior (2025): Editorial: Access to emerging health technologies in aging: from innovation to inclusion. The Journal of Frailty and Aging (JFA). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjfa.2026.100161
OLD DOG - VALIDATING THE DOG AS AN ANIMAL MODEL FOR HUMAN AGING STUDIES
Polina Zemko, Federico Bonsembiante, Marco Canevelli, Simona Buscarnera, Matteo Cesari, Tommaso Banzato
J Frailty Aging 2026;15(3)
Show summaryHide summaryCompanion dogs represent a valuable and emerging translational model for human aging, as they share the human environment, receive comparable medical care - yet have much shorter lifespans. Despite their potential, a validated set of canine biomarkers of aging has not yet been established. The OLD-DOG Project, launched in 2023 at the University of Padua’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital, is a 30-month prospective study designed to identify and validate biomarkers of aging in companion dogs and to assess their predictive value for healthspan and lifespan, thereby evaluating the suitability of dogs as models for human aging research.
A cohort of 209 privately owned dogs aged ≥ 5 years was enrolled and underwent comprehensive evaluations every six months, including clinical examinations, physical fitness testing, blood and fecal sampling, and owner questionnaires. Collected data encompass physiological, biochemical, hematological, and behavioral parameters, as well as microbiota profiles, telomere length, and DNA methylation patterns. Surplus biological material is stored to establish a long-term biobank.
Preliminary cross-sectional analyses have identified consistent age-related patterns across multiple domains, including hematological and biochemical indices, inflammatory markers, and measures of physical and cognitive performance. Ongoing longitudinal analyses aim to determine the predictive value of these candidate biomarkers for morbidity and mortality, as well as to assess the influence of environmental and lifestyle factors on aging trajectories. Ultimately, the project seeks to construct an integrative model of biological age in dogs, thereby strengthening their value as a robust translational model for human aging research.
CITATION:
Polina Zemko ; Federico Bonsembiante ; Marco Canevelli ; Simona Buscarnera ; Matteo Cesari ; Tommaso Banzato (2026): OLD DOG - Validating the dog as an animal model for human aging studies. The Journal of Frailty and Aging (JFA). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjfa.2026.100145
ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN FRAILTY, BIOMARKERS OF CEREBRAL PATHOLOGY, COGNITIVE AND NEUROPSYCHIATRIC SYMPTOMS: A MEMORY CLINIC STUDY
Victor Gilles, Anthime Flaus, Achille Teillac, Marc Verny, Frédéric Blanc, Marc Paccalin, Thomas Desmidt, Sandrine Louchart de la Chapelle, Constance Dumay, Mathilde Sauvée, Sylvain Lehmann, Christophe Hirtz, François Cotton, Anthony Bathsavanis, Frédéric Gervais, Teddy Novais, Virginie Desestret, Nawele Boublay, Pierre Krolak-Salmon, Sophie Dautricourt, Antoine Garnier-Crussard
J Frailty Aging 2026;15(3)
Show summaryHide summaryBACKGROUND: Frailty is a prevalent condition among older adults with neurocognitive disorders.
OBJECTIVES: To ascertain whether frailty contributes to the severity of cognitive impairment and neuropsychiatric symptoms, and its association with cerebral pathology measured in vivo by fluid and imaging biomarkers.
DESIGN: We conducted cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses based on CLEM Study, a multicentre memory-clinic cohort that recruited participants between 2014 and 2018.
SETTING: CLEM Study occurred in eight memory centres in France (Lyon, Paris, Strasbourg, Poitiers, Tours, Grenoble) and Monaco.
PARTICIPANTS: A total of 168 participants (mean age 80.5 ± 4.8 years) with mild to moderate dementia due to at least one aetiological diagnosis between Alzheimer's disease, dementia with Lewy bodies or vascular dementia were included in the study.
MEASUREMENTS: The participants were evaluated at baseline and followed up for two years. The concept of frailty was operationalised using a 45-item Frailty Index. Cognition was assessed using the ADAS-cog scale, while neuropsychiatric symptoms were evaluated with the Neuropsychiatric Inventory. The cerebral pathological score, a proxy for brain pathologies, was a composite score based on the presence of several in vivo biomarkers: presynaptic dopaminergic denervation on 123I-FP-CIT SPECT (DaTscan®), vascular lesions on MRI, elevated blood-based pTau181, neurofilaments light-chain or glial fibrillary acid protein. Linear and mixed regression analyses were conducted to model the relationships between cognitive or neuropsychiatric symptoms, frailty and cerebral pathologic score, adjusted for age, sex and education.
RESULTS: The findings indicate an impact of both frailty (β = 0.28, 95 % CI [0.14–0.43], p < 0.001) and cerebral pathological score (β = 0.30, 95 % CI [0.13–0.47], p = 0.002) on cognitive impairment. However, only frailty was associated with neuropsychiatric symptoms (β = 0.28, 95 % CI [0.14–0.43], p < 0.001), particularly with apathy (β = 0.40, 95 % CI [0.26–0.53], p < 0.001). We found an association between cerebral pathological score and longitudinal cognitive decline (β = 0.36, 95 % CI [0.19–0.53], p < 0.001) in exploratory analyses with available longitudinal data at 24 months (n = 74).
CONCLUSIONS: Neurocognitive disorders are complex entities, where cognitive and neuropsychiatric symptoms are not fully influenced by the same factors. When cognitive symptoms seem more driven by cerebral pathology than frailty, neuropsychiatric symptoms appear to be more influenced by general state of frailty. Measuring and treating frailty might be a key factor in dealing with neuropsychiatric symptoms and their consequences.
CITATION:
Victor Gilles ; Anthime Flaus ; Achille Teillac ; Marc Verny ; Frédéric Blanc ; Marc Paccalin ; Thomas Desmidt ; Sandrine Louchart de la Chapelle ; Constance Dumay ; Mathilde Sauvée ; Sylvain Lehmann ; Christophe Hirtz ; François Cotton ; Anthony Bathsavanis ; Frédéric Gervais ; Teddy Novais ; Virginie Desestret ; Nawele Boublay ; Pierre Krolak-Salmon ; Sophie Dautricourt ; Antoine Garnier-Crussard (2026): Associations between frailty, biomarkers of cerebral pathology, cognitive and neuropsychiatric symptoms: a memory clinic study. The Journal of Frailty and Aging (JFA). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjfa.2026.100148
A NEW SIMPLIFIED MINIMUM DATA SET BETTER PREDICTS OUTCOMES FOR INDIVIDUALS ADMITTED TO INTERMEDIATE CARE FUNCTIONAL RECOVERY UNITS IN CATALONIA
M Inzitari, E Vela, C Martín Pardina, E Vallés, L Viale, G Valls, M.A Gil, M Llonch, K Covinsky, J Deardorff
J Frailty Aging 2026;15(3)
Show summaryHide summaryBACKGROUND: Intermediate care functional recovery (ICFR) units in Catalonia, Spain, provide post acute care and geriatric rehabilitation. Providers report a Minimum Data Set (MDS), initially developed to classify patients into resource utilization groups (RUG), to adjust public reimbursement. The MDS, completed by health professionals, is time consuming and diverges from routine clinical assessment.
OBJECTIVES: We developed new intermediate care case-mix indexes (ICMI), based on admission diagnosis and function, and tested whether ICMIs better predict length of stay (LOS) and discharge destination, compared to RUG. Methods We developed the ICMIs using 122,754 ICFRs admissions (years 2017–18–19–22): we categorized individuals by diagnosis and four levels of activities of daily living (ADL). To obtain ICMIs, each category was assigned a weight based on associations with ICFR LOS and “unsuccessful discharge” (death or other service versus home). Then, in the 2023 cohort, we compared the performance of four models (base model (age, sex, income), base+RUG, base+ADL, base+ICMIs) to predict LOS >57 days and unsuccessful discharge.
RESULTS: The 2023 cohort included 31,640 patients (median age [IQR]=82.0 [75.0;88.0], 57% women). When predicting dichotomous LOS, the area under the ROC curve (AUC) increased from 0.56 [95% CI=0.544–0.57] to 0.56 [95% CI=0.55–0.56] (base+RUG), 0.59 [95% CI=0.58–0.61] (base+ADL), and 0.63 [95% CI=0.62–0.65] (base+ICMI). AUC to predict discharge destination showed similar improvements (0.55 [95% CI=0.54 0.55], 0.59 [95% CI=0.58–0.59], 0.64 [95% CI=0.63–0.64], 0.66 [95% CI=0.65–0.66], respectively).
CONCLUSION: In Catalan ICFRs, new, simplified, case-mix indicators improved prediction of LOS and discharge destination, compared to existing tools. This study can inform new policies for intermediate care, adding a validated instrument to improve evaluation and reimbursing systems.
CITATION:
M Inzitari ; E Vela ; C Martín Pardina ; E Vallés ; L Viale ; G Valls ; M.A Gil ; M Llonch ; K Covinsky ; J Deardorff (2025): A new simplified minimum data set better predicts outcomes for individuals admitted to intermediate care functional recovery units in catalonia. The Journal of Frailty and Aging (JFA). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjfa.2026.100158
LOW RELATIVE SIT-TO-STAND POWER IN COLOMBIAN OLDER ADULTS: CUT-OFF POINTS AND ASSOCIATIONS WITH FRAILTY AND FUNCTIONAL DECLINE
Robinson Ramírez-Vélez, Miguel Germán Borda, Juan Carlos Calderón-González, Albeiro Dávila-Grisales, Gonzalo Romero-Martínez, Mikel Izquierdo, Miguel A. Pérez-Sousa
J Frailty Aging 2026;15(3)
Show summaryHide summaryOBJECTIVES: To examine the association between relative sit-to-stand (STS) power and age, establish sex-specific cut-off points, and evaluate their associations with adverse outcomes in Colombian older adults.
DESIGN: Cross-sectional, population-based study.
SETTING: Health, Well-being, and Aging Study (SABE-Colombia, 2014–2015).
PARTICIPANTS: 3051 community-dwelling adults aged ≥60 years (56.6 % women; mean age 68.6 ± 6.4 years).
MEASUREMENTS: Relative STS power (W·kg⁻¹) was estimated using a validated equation. Quantile regression examined age-related changes across percentiles (Q10–Q90). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves with the Youden index determined cut-off points. Age-adjusted logistic regression tested associations with frailty, functionality as gait speed and handgrip strength (HGS), and depression.
RESULTS: Optimal cut-offs for low relative STS power were 2.11 W·kg⁻¹ for men and 1.63 W·kg⁻¹ for women. Prevalence of low STS power was 34.3 % in men and 34.8 % in women, increasing with age in both sexes. Quantile regression revealed steeper age-related declines at higher percentiles, particularly among men. Low relative STS power was significantly associated with frailty and low functionality.
CONCLUSION: Relative STS power is a simple, clinically feasible biomarker to identify functional impairment in older adults. The sex-specific thresholds reported for Colombian populations reflect demographic differences in muscle physiology and decline. Their integration into geriatric practice may enhance early detection, guide preventive interventions, and ultimately improve health outcomes in aging populations.
CITATION:
Robinson Ramírez-Vélez ; Miguel Germán Borda ; Juan Carlos Calderón-González ; Albeiro Dávila-Grisales ; Gonzalo Romero-Martínez ; Mikel Izquierdo ; Miguel A. Pérez-Sousa (2026): Low relative sit-to-stand power in Colombian older adults: Cut-off points and associations with frailty and functional decline. The Journal of Frailty and Aging (JFA). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjfa.2026.100141
THE IMPACT OF INTEGRATED CARE ON QUALITY OF LIFE IN COMMUNITY-DWELLING OLDER ADULTS WITH FRAILTY: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND MIXED METHOD SYNTHESIS
Joanne Boyce, Declan Patton, Chanel Watson, Tom O’Connor, Zena Moore, Linda Nugent
J Frailty Aging 2026;15(3)
Show summaryHide summaryBACKGROUND: Frailty among older adults is an escalating public health challenge, often associated with poorer quality of life (QoL) and increased pressure on healthcare systems. Integrated care is proposed as a strategy to meet the complex needs of this population, though evidence of its effectiveness remains inconclusive.
OBJECTIVES: To determine the impact of integrated care on the quality of life of frail, community-dwelling older adults.
DESIGN: Systematic review and mixed-methods synthesis, including meta-analysis and narrative synthesis.
SETTING: Community-based healthcare systems across six international studies.
PARTICIPANTS: A total of 5498 frail, community-dwelling older adults across six studies: four randomised controlled trials and two quasi-experimental designs.
INTERVENTION: Integrated care interventions tailored to frailty, including person-centred, multidisciplinary, and value-based models.
MEASUREMENTS: Quality of Life was the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes included social functioning and healthcare costs. Standardised tools such as SF-12, SF-36, ICECAP-O, and EQ-5D were used across studies.
RESULTS: The meta-analysis showed a small, non-significant improvement in QoL (SMD = 0.13, 95 % CI: -0.09 to 0.35, p = 0.24) with high heterogeneity (I² = 91 %). Tailored, multidimensional models showed greater effects, particularly in preserving social functioning. Findings on cost-effectiveness were inconsistent; some studies reported reduced hospital use, while others found increased primary care visits without cost savings.
CONCLUSIONS: . Integrated care may support social functioning but does not demonstrate a consistent improvement in overall QoL. Future trials should standardise QoL measurement, report intervention components clearly, include economic evaluations, and assess longer-term outcomes.
CITATION:
Joanne Boyce ; Declan Patton ; Chanel Watson ; Tom O’Connor ; Zena Moore ; Linda Nugent (2025): The impact of integrated care on quality of life in community-dwelling older adults with frailty: A systematic review and mixed method synthesis. The Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease (JPAD). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjfa.2026.100150
GERIATRIC MEDICINE ACROSS COUNTRIES: SPECIALISED WORKFORCE, TRAINING AND SYSTEM INTEGRATION CHALLENGES
Matteo Cesari, Jotheeswaran Amuthavalli Thiyagarajan, Antonio Cherubini, Theresa Diaz, Marina Kotsani, Teena Kunjumen, Tahir Masud, John W Rowe, Ritu Sadana, Mirko Petrovic, Representatives from 48 National Geriatric Societies
J Frailty Aging 2026;15(3)
Show summaryHide summaryBACKGROUND: The development and integration of geriatric medicine into national health care systems vary widely across countries. While a robust care workforce requires providers from several disciplines, including nursing, social sector, rehabilitation, psychiatry, neurology, and others, a strong core of highly qualified geriatricians is essential to delivering older person-centred and integrated care. The number and professional profile of geriatricians, along with the status of the specialty, are important to informing efforts to reshape health care systems in response to the global ageing scenario.
METHODS: WHO developed and distributed a structured questionnaire to representatives of national geriatrics and gerontology societies beginning in March 2025. The survey collected data on the status of the geriatric medicine specialty, including its formal recognition at the country level, the estimated number of practising geriatricians, and information on training curricula, professional environments, and systemic challenges.
RESULTS: A total of 48 national societies completed the survey. Recognition of geriatric medicine ranged widely, from full specialty status in some countries to subspecialty or non-recognition in others. The number of practicing geriatricians per 100,000 persons aged 60 years and older ranged from <0.1 to >30 across countries, illustrating marked workforce disparities and some severe shortages. Where the geriatric medicine specialty is formally available, pre-service training durations ranged from 24 to 96 months. Geriatricians worked in diverse settings, though integration into primary care and public health was limited. Training in and exposure to geriatric medicine principles during undergraduate and postgraduate medical training were minimal in many countries. Key challenges included workforce shortages, fragmentation of care, and undervaluation of the speciality’s role in informing health care for older people. Strategic priorities reported by respondents included investment in training, policy development, and institutional support.
CONCLUSIONS: The survey highlights disparities in geriatric medicine across countries and identifies several challenges and priorities. Strengthening education, policy, and workforce development is essential to meet the needs of ageing populations and support healthy ageing worldwide. At the same time, countries should also think of innovative approaches and building capacity of existing other health occupations to improve geriatric care. Future updates of this survey will provide longitudinal insights into workforce evolution. These findings provide a global evidence base to guide workforce planning and policy under the United Nations Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021–2030).
CITATION:
Matteo Cesari ; Jotheeswaran Amuthavalli Thiyagarajan ; Antonio Cherubini ; Theresa Diaz ; Marina Kotsani ; Teena Kunjumen ; Tahir Masud ; John W Rowe ; Ritu Sadana ; Mirko Petrovic ; Representatives from 48 National Geriatric Societies (2025): Geriatric medicine across countries: Specialised workforce, training and system integration challenges. The Journal of Frailty and Aging (JFA). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjfa.2026.100152>
LONGITUDINAL NORMS OF FRAILTY MEASURED BY THE FRAILTY INDEX: A CROSS-NATIONAL COMPARISON USING DATA FROM THE SURVEY OF HEALTH, AGING, AND RETIREMENT IN EUROPE (SHARE)
Alejandra Marroig, Fernando Massa, Ángela Gutiérrez, Adil Supiyev, Bar?? Sevi, Graciela Muniz-Terrera
J Frailty Aging 2026;15(3)
Show summaryHide summaryBACKGROUND: Frailty, a geriatric syndrome commonly used to identify vulnerable older adults, is a public health priority. However, the lack of cross-national comparisons of frailty trajectories and their distribution constrains current understanding of normative changes in frailty for residents across different countries.
OBJECTIVE: To derive longitudinal percentiles of frailty using a consistent cross-country approach.
DESIGN: Observational study using longitudinal data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) between 2004 and 2020.
SETTING: We fit the distribution of the FI by Generalized Additive Models for Location, Scale, and Shape (GAMLSS), assessed the role of sex (male/female), education (in years), and migration status (migrant/non-migrant), and estimated the longitudinal percentiles of frailty using a consistent cross-country approach for 16 countries.
PARTICIPANTS: Individuals aged ≥65 years (N = 42,951) at study entry.
MEASUREMENTS: Frailty index (FI) based on the accumulation of deficits in 40 items.
RESULTS: The results show that education is protective against frailty in all countries (a decrease of 1.1 pp. in Switzerland to 5.7 pp. in Slovenia, all p < 0.001). In most countries, women are frailer than men and migrant individuals have higher levels of frailty than non-migrants. FI trajectories showed heterogeneity across countries. The quantiles for women and migrants suggest frailer trajectories than men and non-migrants respectively.
CONCLUSIONS: Findings from this cross-national comparison provide a framework within which the longitudinal norms of frailty trajectories from different countries can be interpreted.
CITATION:
Alejandra Marroig ; Fernando Massa ; Ángela Gutiérrez ; Adil Supiyev ; Barış Sevi ; Graciela Muniz-Terrera (2026): Longitudinal norms of frailty measured by the frailty index: A cross-national comparison using data from the survey of health, aging, and retirement in Europe (SHARE). The Journal of Frailty and Aging (JFA). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjfa.2026.100144
THE MEDIATING ROLE OF CHRONIC DISEASE IN SOCIOECONOMIC INEQUALITIES IN FRAILTY: A LONGITUDINAL COHORT STUDY OF OLDER ADULTS IN LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND
Carlos de Mestral, Saman Khalatbari-Soltani, Patrick Bodenmann, Yves Henchoz, Mauricio Avendano
J Frailty Aging 2026;15(3)
Show summaryHide summaryBACKGROUND: Frailty is a major public health concern in aging populations. Socioeconomic disadvantage increases the risk of frailty, yet the mechanisms underlying this association remain unclear.
OBJECTIVES: To examine the mediating role of chronic diseases in the longitudinal association between socioeconomic disadvantage and frailty.
DESIGN: Population-based cohort study.
SETTING: Lausanne, Switzerland.
PARTICIPANTS: 4731 community-dwelling adults aged 65–70 years at recruitment (2004, 2010, and 2014), followed for up to 16 years, as part of the Lausanne Cohort 65+.
INTERVENTION: None.
MEASUREMENTS: Socioeconomic disadvantage was assessed using indicators of education, occupation, income, health insurance subsidy, and financial strain. Frailty was measured using the Fried phenotype (unintentional weight loss, exhaustion, low physical activity, weakness, and slow walking speed). Chronic conditions (obesity, diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular and respiratory disease, and multimorbidity [≥2 conditions]) were assessed at baseline using standardized self-reported physician diagnoses. Counterfactual mediation using Cox proportional hazards models estimated the proportion of the socioeconomic disadvantage–frailty association mediated by each condition.
RESULTS: Socioeconomic disadvantage was associated with a 1.5–2.5-fold higher risk of incident frailty. Obesity mediated 13–55% of this association, diabetes 11–22%, and multimorbidity 21–39%, whereas hypertension, cardiovascular, and respiratory disease showed minimal or no mediation.
CONCLUSIONS: Chronic diseases—particularly obesity and diabetes—partly explain the long-term impact of socioeconomic disadvantage on frailty, underscoring stark inequities in healthy aging. Early detection and management of these conditions in socioeconomically vulnerable older adults, alongside population-level prevention and efforts to address adverse socioeconomic conditions as root causes, could help reduce these inequalities.
CITATION:
Carlos de Mestral ; Saman Khalatbari-Soltani ; Patrick Bodenmann ; Yves Henchoz ; Mauricio Avendano (2026): The mediating role of chronic disease in socioeconomic inequalities in frailty: A longitudinal cohort study of older adults in Lausanne, Switzerland. The Journal of Frailty and Aging (JFA). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjfa.2026.100134
DECLINING KIDNEY FUNCTION AND FRAILTY PROGRESSION: A 7-YEAR COHORT STUDY OF CHINESE MIDDLE-AGED AND OLDER ADULTS
Fan Zhang, Yan Bai, Liuyan Huang, Yifei Zhong
J Frailty Aging 2026;15(3)
Show summaryHide summaryBACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the association between baseline kidney function and frailty trajectories in middle-aged and older adults.
METHODS: Data were derived from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (2011–2018), including 5364 participants aged ≥45 years at baseline with up to four assessment waves over approximately 7 years. Kidney function was evaluated using estimated glomerular filtration rate based on serum creatinine and cystatin C (eGFRscr-cysc) and categorized as normal (≥90), mildly reduced (60–89) and moderately-to-severely reduced (<60 ml/min/1.73m²). Frailty was assessed using a 30‑item frailty index (0–100 scale). Linear mixed-effects models with random intercepts were used to examine the effects of baseline kidney function and its interaction with time on frailty index trajectories.
RESULTS: At baseline, the mean frailty index was higher in participants with mildly (β=2.28, 95% CI: 1.63–2.94) and moderately-to-severely (β=3.70, 95% CI: 2.41–4.99) reduced kidney function compared to normal kidney function, where β represents the adjusted difference in frailty index relative to the reference group. Frailty index increased over time in all groups; in participants with normal kidney function, it rose by 0.83 points per year (95% CI: 0.77–0.90). The annual increase was 0.26 points greater (95% CI: 0.18–0.35) in the mildly reduced and 0.70 points greater (95% CI: 0.54–0.87) in the moderately-to-severely reduced group. Over approximately 7 years, predicted mean frailty index increased from 15.1 to 20.9, 17.4 to 25.0, and 18.8 to 29.5 in the normal, mildly reduced and moderately-to-severely reduced groups, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS: Middle-aged and older adults with lower kidney function exhibited higher frailty index levels at baseline and faster frailty progression over time.
CITATION:
Fan Zhang ; Yan Bai ; Liuyan Huang ; Yifei Zhong (2025): Declining kidney function and frailty progression: a 7-year cohort study of Chinese middle-aged and older adults. The Journal of Frailty and Aging (JFA). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjfa.2026.100151
MEDICARE COSTS AND HOME TIME LOSS AMONG FEE-FOR-SERVICE BENEFICIARIES BY FRAILTY AND DEMENTIA STATUS
Stephanie Denise M. Sison, Lily Zhong, Gahee Oh, Sandra M. Shi, Chan Mi Park, Brianne Olivieri-Mui, Ellen P. McCarthy, Dae Hyun Kim
J Frailty Aging 2026;15(3)
Show summaryHide summaryBACKGROUND: Frailty and dementia are associated with adverse health outcomes. Understanding their associated healthcare costs and quality of life can inform care of older adults.
OBJECTIVES: To assess Medicare costs and home time loss among Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries across different combinations of frailty and dementia status
RESEARCH DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study.
SUBJECTS: 5% random sample of Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries aged 65 and older in 2019.
MEASURES: Frailty and dementia were measured using validated claims-based algorithms. Annualized Medicare costs and home time loss (days) were measured in Medicare claims over one year.
RESULTS: Among 1,148,964 Medicare beneficiaries (mean age 75.2 years, 57.7% female), 10.0% had frailty and 4.0% had dementia. Medicare costs increased with frailty severity. Dementia's association with costs varied by frailty level: higher costs among those without frailty (dementia vs. no dementia: $14,058.1 vs. $12,342.2 and lower costs among those with mild ($24,080.4 vs. $35,166.4) and moderate-severe frailty ($38,446.5 vs. $54,344.3). Both frailty and dementia were associated with greater home time loss, except among those with moderate-to-severe frailty in which home time loss was nearly identical with or without dementia (57.1 vs. 57.2 days).
CONCLUSIONS: Medicare costs and home time loss increased with the severity of frailty while dementia’s association with cost and home time loss varied by frailty level. Among those with moderate-severe frailty, individuals without dementia incurred higher costs despite similar home time. These findings underscore the importance of improved frailty recognition and care strategies addressing both conditions.
CITATION:
Stephanie Denise M. Sison ; Lily Zhong ; Gahee Oh ; Sandra M. Shi ; Chan Mi Park ; Brianne Olivieri-Mui ; Ellen P. McCarthy ; Dae Hyun Kim (2025): Medicare costs and home time loss among fee-for-service beneficiaries by frailty and dementia status. The Journal of Frailty and Aging (JFA). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjfa.2026.100149
FUNCTIONAL DISABILITY AND COGNITION IN RELATION TO RESIDENTIAL TRANSITIONS IN OLDER ADULTS: EVIDENCE FROM THREE FRENCH COHORTS, 1988-2018
Jeanne Bardinet, Luc Letenneur, Alice Pellichero, Denis Boucaud-Maitre, Maturin Tabue-Teguo, Hélène Amieva, Karine Pérès
J Frailty Aging 2026;15(3)
Show summaryHide summaryBACKGROUND: Aging is often accompanied by increasing difficulties in daily living that may compromise aging in place. In France, three main housing types can be distinguished: ordinary home (OH), intermediate housing (IH) and nursing home (NH). This study aimed to explore the relationship between functional disability, cognition, and residential transitions in older adults.
METHODS: Participants aged 65 years and older living in OH at baseline were drawn from three French population-based cohorts (PAQUID, Three-City and AMI), followed for up to 30 years. A hierarchical indicator of functional disability was derived from mobility, IADL and ADL disabilities, while cognitive function was assessed using the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE). A multi-state model was applied to investigate the associations between functional disability and cognition (as time-dependent variables) with housing transitions, adjusting for sex, cohort, marital status and education. We also examined the involvement of IADL disabilities on transitions from OH to IH or NH in sex-stratified models. Sensitivity analyses were performed using lagged measures.
RESULTS: Among 5264 included participants (mean age 74.7 ± 6.0 years; 56.9% women), 832 relocated from OH during a median follow-up of 10.2 years, including 216 to IH and 616 to NH. Mild and moderate disability, as lower MMSE scores, were independently associated with higher risks of transitioning to IH or NH, while severe disability and cognitive impairment were only associated with NH transitions. In sex-stratified analyses, transportation difficulties were associated with IH and NH transitions among women, whereas only with NH admission in men. Difficulties with handling finances in women, with medications management in men, and difficulties with shopping in both sexes were also associated with transition to NH.
DISCUSSION: Intermediate housing was more frequently associated with mild or moderate disability, whereas transitions to long-term care were more often observed in participants with severe cognitive decline.
CITATION:
Jeanne Bardinet ; Luc Letenneur ; Alice Pellichero ; Denis Boucaud-Maitre ; Maturin Tabue-Teguo ; Hélène Amieva ; Karine Pérès (2025): Functional disability and cognition in relation to residential transitions in older adults: Evidence from three French cohorts, 1988-2018. The Journal of Frailty and Aging (JFA). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjfa.2026.100159
LETTER TO THE EDITOR : STRENGTHENING HEALTHY AGEING IN THE CARIBBEAN THROUGH REGIONAL CAPACITY BUILDING AND ICOPE IMPLEMENTATION
Nadine Simo, Moustapha Dramé, Denis Boucaud-Maitre, Maturin Tabue-Teguo
J Frailty Aging 2026;15(3)
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CITATION:
Nadine Simo ; Moustapha Dramé ; Denis Boucaud-Maitre ; Maturin Tabue-Teguo (2025): Letter to the Editor: Strengthening healthy ageing in the Caribbean through regional capacity building and ICOPE implementation. The Journal of Frailty and Aging (JFA). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjfa.2026.100160