A South Australian council is inviting residents to test an international program promoting the avoidance of frailty in older age, the first time it will be trialled outside its Canadian development site.

Frailty is a common clinical condition negatively impacting the independence and quality of life of older people. The good news is that frailty can be avoided or at least postponed.

The Canadian Frailty Network has developed a public health promotion program to help avoid the development of frailty. The program, ‘AVOID Frailty’, targets five factors, that if addressed can reduce frailty risk. It comprises Activity, Vaccination, Optimising medication, Interaction and socialisation, and Diet and nutrition. The program is currently being delivered in three Canadian cities and is now coming to Adelaide.

Professor Renuka Visvanathan from the University of Adelaide and Head of Geriatric Medicine services at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital said, “The program will be adapted for use through a trial in the City of Charles Sturt, its first test outside Canada.

“In stage one, trial lead Dr Helen Barrie from the University of South Australia, will work with Charles Sturt residents aged 60 and over who would like to be Citizen Scientists. For 12 weeks they will record their regular activities and perceptions of their neighbourhoods, said Professor Visvanathan.

“Researchers will provide Citizen Scientists with training, fortnightly social catch-ups, and lots of opportunities to discuss growing older in their community.

“Citizen Scientists may also like to provide feedback on the Canadian AVOID program and web-based platform.

“In 2025, the project will go on to explore if modifying the five factors to AVOID frailty can improve frailty risk. This will be done through a randomised control trial with interested City of Charles Sturt residents aged 60 and over,” she said.

People living in the City of Charles Sturt, aged 60 years and older who are interested in knowing more about Frailty, Citizen Science and the project, are invited to attend the AVOID Frailty project launch, to be held on 7 March from 10.00am -12.00pm at the City of Charles Sturt Civic Centre, 72 Woodville Road. Light refreshments will be provided.

To attend the launch or ask questions about the project, please contact Ms Joanne Wilson on 8302 1381 or joanne.wilson@unisa.edu.au or Dr Joanne Dollard on 8222 7349 or joanne.dollard@adelaide.edu.au.

The project is funded by The Hospital Research Foundation, awarded to Professor Renuka Visvanathan (University of Adelaide), Dr Helen Barrie (University of South Australia) and Professor John Muscedere (Canadian Frailty Network) and is conducted in partnership with the City of Charles Sturt and the Adelaide Primary Health Network.