Mobility and Frailty Care

What is Mobility and Frailty Care?

What is frailty? Frailty is a distinctive health state related to the ageing process in which multiple body systems gradually lose their in-built reserves, leading to mobility issues.

Older people living with frailty are at risk of dramatic deterioration in their physical and mental well-being after an apparently small event that challenges their health (e.g. infection, new medication, fall, constipation, or urine retention).

Frailty Symptoms

The presence of one or more of these five symptoms should raise suspicions that the Client has frailty and that the apparently simple presentation may mask a more serious underlying disease:

• Falls (e.g. ‘collapse’, ‘legs gave way’, ‘found lying on the floor)’
• Immobility (e.g. sudden change in mobility, ‘gone off legs’ ‘stuck on the toilet’)
• Delirium (e.g. acute confusion, worsening of pre-existing confusion/short-term memory loss)
• Incontinence (e.g. new onset or worsening of urinary or faecal incontinence)
• Susceptibility to side effects of medication (e.g. confusion with codeine, hypotension with antidepressants).

Frailty Assessments and Care Plans

Comfort Keepers use a person-centred approach in caring for clients with a frailty diagnosis. Initially, it is recommended that the person be referred for an assessment with the frailty team or geriatric team. 

Mobility Care and Support for Health Recommendations

Comfort Keepers provides comprehensive support for implementing recommendations from consultants or the community team, including Public Health Nurses (PHNs) and other professionals. 

For HSE-supported packages, our carers work in line with the assessment from the community team, ensuring your loved one’s care plan meets all required needs. 

For private care packages, our nurse managers assess and develop a personalised care plan tailored to your loved one’s requirements.

Our services include:

• Implementing mobility aids such as hoists, zimmer frames, and sliding sheets
• Managing time-specific medication regimes with daily reminders from carers
• Providing daily support for incontinence management and toileting needs

These services are tailored to ensure the highest level of comfort and care for your loved one.

Monitoring Health Changes for Frail Older Adults

Carers also hold a vital role in recognising a change in their client’s health when calling daily and alerting the relevant persons to ensure medical support is sought as soon as possible. 

Timing is exceptionally important to ensure the client does not deteriorate further. Comfort Keepers implements individualised home care packages for each client. Monitoring a client’s health and acting quickly can reduce the need for admittance into an acute hospital setting. 

Home Care for Frailty and Hospital Avoidance

Older persons in crisis often fare better in the home environment. With appropriate frailty interventions and home modifications, Comfort Keepers can help reduce hospital admissions and ensure better outcomes.

Move Forward with Comfort and Care

If you or a loved one is facing mobility challenges or frailty, Comfort Keepers is here to help. Contact us today to learn more about our specialised services.