[Frailty: Searching for a relevant clinical and research paradigm].

The concept of frailty has received increasing attention among clinicians and researchers. Clinicians often say, “I know frailty when I see it, but I can’t define it”. This is not surprising given that in spite of a growing body of knowledge, there is no widely accepted definition of frailty. The literature abounds with different models, criteria and definitions. While consensus has yet to be attained, work accomplished to date while revealing exciting new horizons, has also raised important issues and questions. The presentation will discuss existing models of frailty, the complex relationship between the concepts of frailty, aging, and disability, and implications of applying this concept in the clinical and research setting.