Which statement about frailty is true?

• A. It is a reversible condition with exercise.
• B. It primarily involves cognitive impairment without physical findings.
• C. It is a clinical syndrome of decreased reserve and resistance to stressors.
• D. It is a minor skin condition.

Answer: (C)

Frailty is a clinical syndrome of decreased physiologic reserve and increased vulnerability to stressors. This means older adults with frailty have reduced ability to cope with everyday stresses—such as illness, dehydration, or a minor injury—because multiple body systems are less able to compensate. In practice, frailty often shows up as a combination of physical signs (weakness, slow walking speed, low energy, unintentional weight loss, and reduced activity) and a higher risk of adverse outcomes like falls, hospitalization, disability, and even death.

The idea that frailty is simply reversible with exercise is too narrow. While resistance training and good nutrition can improve strength and function and may reverse some aspects for some individuals, frailty represents a broader state of diminished reserve and resilience that isn’t guaranteed to be completely reversible in all patients. It is not primarily a cognitive disorder without physical findings, nor is it a minor skin condition.