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Validation of the Pictorial Fit-Frail Scale in a memory clinic setting

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 September 2019

Lindsay M. K. Wallace ,
Lisa McGarrigle ,
Kenneth Rockwood Open the ORCID record for Kenneth Rockwood [Opens in a new window] ,
Melissa K. Andrew  and
Olga Theou
Lindsay M. K. Wallace
Affiliation:
Geriatric Medicine Research, Centre for Health Care of the Elderly, Nova Scotia Health Authority, Halifax, Canada
Lisa McGarrigle
Affiliation:
Geriatric Medicine Research, Centre for Health Care of the Elderly, Nova Scotia Health Authority, Halifax, Canada
Kenneth Rockwood
Affiliation:
Geriatric Medicine Research, Centre for Health Care of the Elderly, Nova Scotia Health Authority, Halifax, Canada Department of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
Melissa K. Andrew
Affiliation:
Geriatric Medicine Research, Centre for Health Care of the Elderly, Nova Scotia Health Authority, Halifax, Canada Department of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
Olga Theou*
Affiliation:
Geriatric Medicine Research, Centre for Health Care of the Elderly, Nova Scotia Health Authority, Halifax, Canada Department of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Olga Theou, PhD, Nova Scotia Health Authority/Dalhousie University, 5955 Veterans’ Memorial Lane, Room 1313 Halifax, NS, Canada B3H 2E1. Phone: +1(902)473-4846. Email: Olga.Theou@dal.ca.
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Abstract

Objective:

To assess the feasibility, reliability, and validity of the Pictorial Fit-Frail Scale (PFFS) among patients, caregivers, nurses, and geriatricians in an outpatient memory clinic.

Design:

Observational study.

Setting:

A Canadian referral-based outpatient memory clinic.

Participants:

Fifty-one consecutive patients and/or their caregivers, as well as attending nurses and geriatricians.

Measurements:

Participants (patients, caregivers, nurses, and geriatricians) were asked to complete the PFFS based on the patient’s current level of functioning. Time-to-complete and level of assistance required was recorded. Participants also completed a demographic survey and patients’ medical history (including the Mini-Mental State Examination [MMSE], and Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment [CGA]) was obtained via chart review.

Results:

Patient participants had a mean age of 77.3±10.1 years, and average MMSE of 22.0±7.0, and 53% were female. Participants were able to complete the PFFS with minimal assistance, and their average times to completion were 4:38±2:09, 3:11±1:16, 1:05±0:19, and 0:57±0:30 (mins:sec) for patients, caregivers, nurses, and geriatricians, respectively. Mean PFFS scores as rated by patients, caregivers, nurses, and geriatricians were 9.0±5.7, 13.1±6.6, 11.2±4.5, 11.9±5.9, respectively. Patients with low MMSE scores (0–24) took significantly longer to complete the scale and had higher PFFS scores. Inter-rater reliability between nurses and geriatricians was 0.74, but it was lower when assessments were done for patients with low MMSE scores (0.47, p<0.05). The correlation between PFFS and a Frailty Index based on the CGA was moderately high and statistically significant for caregivers, nurses, and geriatricians (r=0.66, r=0.59, r=0.64, respectively), but not patients.

Conclusions:

The PFFS is feasible, even among people with some slight cognitive impairment, though it may be less useful when patients with severe dementia administer it to themselves. Further, the PFFS may help inform clinicians about areas of concern as identified by patients, enabling them to contribute more to diagnostic and treatment decisions or helping with health tracking and care planning.

Keywords

frailtyfrail elderlypsychometricsagingdementia
Type
Original Research Article
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , Volume 32 , Issue 9: Issue Theme: Enhanced Assessment Instruments for Older Adults with Major Neurocognitive Disorders , September 2020 , pp. 1063 - 1072
Copyright
© International Psychogeriatric Association 2019

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