Engaging Older Adults Living With Frailty in Research

As the global population continues to age, it has become increasingly important for research to reflect the needs and priorities of older adults, particularly those living with frailty. Frailty, characterized by physical, cognitive, and social vulnerabilities, places older individuals at greater risk for adverse health outcomes, reduced quality of life, and increased dependence on healthcare and social support systems.

Despite these challenges, older adults living with frailty are underrepresented in research, both as participants and co-researchers. Participatory research offers a way to address real-world issues by involving people with lived experience directly in the research process. This approach fosters collaboration, builds capacity, and supports action. It enables individuals to play an active role in research, often resulting in more relevant and lasting outcomes. However, little is known about how participatory research is conducted with older adults living with frailty or whether it leads to meaningful engagement and outcomes for this population.

Based on the findings of this review, a set of practical guidelines will be developed to support researchers in meaningfully involving older adults living with frailty in the research process. These guidelines will offer clear strategies to promote inclusive, respectful, and effective engagement at all stages of research.

The guidelines will also contribute directly to UCalgary’s Age-Friendly University Action Plan, led by the Centre on Aging. Specifically, they will advance three goals:

• Goal 5: Aging research is prioritized and supported at an institutional level.
• Goal 6: Aging research is prioritized and supported within relevant faculties and departments.
• Goal 7: Aging education and research are informed by the needs and interests of seniors-serving organizations and older adults.