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Table 1 Definition of terms

From: Models of care for frail older persons who present to the emergency department: a scoping review protocol

Frailty

Frailty is defined as a clinically recognizable state of increased vulnerability as a result of multiple physiologic system deterioration of reserve and functional capacity at older ages such that the ability to cope with daily or acute stressors is comprised [27]. The characteristics of frailty mostly include decline in mobility (i.e., gait speed), physical activity, balance, muscle strength, endurance, motor processing, cognition, and nutrition (i.e., loss of weight) [19, 28].

Older persons

People aged 65 years old and over [29].

Frail older persons

Frail older persons are recognized at greatest risk of adverse outcomes, such as decline in disability, institutionalisation, and death. They are more likely to present with a geriatric syndrome (i.e., delirium and falls) [28]. They also require care from different levels (i.e., gerontology, geriatrics, rehabilitation, internal medicine, nursing, and social work) and integrated and coordinated care [19].

Emergency department

It is a physical location which receives, triages, stabilizes, and provides acute care to patients who require resuscitation, emergent, urgent, semi-urgent, or less-urgent conditions [30].

Model of care

A model of care is designed to provide faster access to safe and quality emergency care. This assists hospitals to meet the National Emergency Access Targets (NEAT) and to improve patient experience [31]. Patient model of care in the emergency department include but are not limited to: triage system (i.e., medical-led triage and nursing assessment team), resuscitation (including trauma), early emergency department senior assessment and streaming, fast track and rapid assessment team, dedicated assessment areas, short stay/observation units, medical assessment units [30,31,32].