老人衰弱之概念分析

Frailty in the Elderly: A Concept Analysis

衰弱（frailty）在老人醫學和老人學中是經常被使用的名詞，此名詞出現迄今，超過三十年，但專家學者卻對此名詞的概念非常分歧。衰弱一詞在護理的學門上仍屬較新的概念，作者以Walker與Avant（2005）提出概念分析的步驟進行分析，確認老人衰弱的屬性除必需符合Fried等（2001）提出衰弱必需包含下列至少三個屬性，分別為：變瘦、虛弱、耐力差、活動變慢和活動力下降，尚需符合下列屬性：多重因素（multiple factors）、依賴（dependency）、動態過程，以及易受傷害（vulnerability）。作者希望透過對老人衰弱的概念分析，使得臨床護理人員對老人衰弱的概念有更清楚瞭解，得以進一步發展護理措施，增進老人健康。

Frailty is a term frequently used in geriatric medicine and gerontology. Even though this term appeared some three decades ago, the concept it embodies is still inconsistently defined and multi-dimensional. It is also relatively new to the nursing discipline. The author analyzed the concept of frailty using the concept analysis approach of Walker and Avant (2005). The result indicated that frailty must meet at least three of Fried et al. (2001)'s five attributes of frailty, i.e., shrinking, weakness, poor endurance, slowness, and low activity. Frailty in the elderly must further involve multiple factors, dependency, dynamic processes, and vulnerability. The author hopes this paper helps clinical nursing staffs better understand the concept of frailty in the elderly. A clearly defined definition for frailty in the elderly can help nurses apply this important concept in clinical practice and develop related nursing implications to improve elderly health.