Condition that may develop as you get older and your body becomes less able to recover from illness or injury. It makes you more likely to become ill and to spend time in hospital. It is not an illness in itself, and is not the same as physical disability, although disability and frailty may overlap with each other. It does not mean a health professional should not strive hard to make them better from an acute illness. They may live a long time being frail, but happy and enjoying their lives
« Back to NHS A-Z Index