FRAIL · 2 minutes

Frailty self-screen (FRAIL scale)

Five short questions: Fatigue, Resistance, Ambulation, Illnesses, Loss of weight. Result categorises robust / pre-frail / frail and informs surgical risk and treatment intensity decisions.

← All self-assessments

1 of 50% complete
Question 1

Are you fatigued?

Have you been bothered by 'feeling tired or having little energy' more than half the days in the past 4 weeks?

Educational tool — not a diagnosis. FRAIL scale, International Association of Nutrition and Aging (Morley et al. 2012). Brief validated frailty screener used in geriatric and surgical settings.

Frequently asked

Plain-language answers about frailty, this screener, and what evaluation costs at a Class A hospital in China.

What does the FRAIL scale predict?
FRAIL scores ≥ 3 predict increased risk of disability, hospitalisation, falls, and mortality at 1–3 years. In surgical contexts, a positive FRAIL screen materially shifts decisions about extent of resection, anaesthesia approach, and post-op rehabilitation planning.
What does pre-operative geriatric optimisation look like in China?
Class A geriatric / pre-anaesthesia clinics run a structured 4–8 week prehabilitation block: nutrition, supervised exercise, anaemia correction, polypharmacy review, cardiopulmonary optimisation, dental clearance. Cost typically USD 280–500 for the assessment block.
Is frailty reversible?
Pre-frailty (FRAIL 1–2) is meaningfully reversible with structured prehabilitation in many older adults. Frailty (FRAIL ≥ 3) is harder to fully reverse but interventions still improve outcomes — the value of accurate scoring is in the decisions it shapes, not in fatalism.

About this screener

FRAIL scale, International Association of Nutrition and Aging (Morley et al. 2012). Brief validated frailty screener used in geriatric and surgical settings.

What this screener covers

  • Age-related physical debility(ICD-10 R54)

Medical review

Reviewed by Panda Touring Care medical team (Geriatrics coordinator review) · last reviewed 2025-04-01