Multidimensional Frailty and Traumatic Brain Injury among Older Adults: A Literature Review

BACKGROUND: Numerous health conditions in the older adult population can be attributed to falls, including traumatic brain injury (TBI), which can lead to devastating short and long-term sequelae. Older adults are also more likely to experience frailty, which encompasses physical, psychological, and social deficits that may lead to adverse health outcomes. Our literature review synthesizes current evidence for understanding frailty in the context of TBI among older adults using the Integral Model of Frailty as a framework. CONTENT SYNTHESIS: A total of 32 articles were identified, and 9 articles were included. The results of this review indicate that outcomes resulting from TBI are closely linked to the physical, psychological, and social domains of frailty. CONCLUSIONS: A small amount of literature currently examines frailty in the context of TBI among older adults. Using the Integral Model of Frailty to understand frailty in the context of TBI can help clinicians anticipate patient outcomes and improve care plans. We emphasize the need for a greater understanding of TBI concerning frailty to improve health outcomes among older adult patients.