# Frailty Calculator (FRAIL Scale)

URL: https://speedycalculator.com/calculators/health/frailty-index/
Last updated: 2026-10-30

> The frailty calculator screens for frailty in older adults with the five-question FRAIL scale – Fatigue, Resistance, Ambulation, Illnesses and Loss of weight – classifying people as robust, pre-frail or frail.

## Inputs

- Fatigue: feeling tired most or all of the time in the past 4 weeks
- Resistance: difficulty climbing 10 steps without resting or aids
- Ambulation: difficulty walking 100–200 m without aids
- Illnesses: 5 or more of hypertension, diabetes, cancer, chronic lung disease, heart attack, heart failure, angina, asthma, arthritis, stroke, kidney disease
- Loss of weight: more than 5% in the past year

## Results

- FRAIL score
- Frailty status

## Formula

```
Score = sum of the points for each item
```

## Explanation

Frailty is reduced physiological reserve that makes older people vulnerable to falls, disability, hospital admission and death after minor stressors. The FRAIL scale can be self-reported in a minute and predicts these outcomes.

### How to use the Frailty Calculator

- **Fatigue: feeling tired most or all of the time in the past 4 weeks**
- **Resistance: difficulty climbing 10 steps without resting or aids**
- **Ambulation: difficulty walking 100–200 m without aids**
- **Illnesses: 5 or more of hypertension, diabetes, cancer, chronic lung disease, heart attack, heart failure, angina, asthma, arthritis, stroke, kidney disease**
- **Loss of weight: more than 5% in the past year**

Results update as you type, and every field accepts the units shown in its menu.

### How it works

Each answer carries the points shown in the published score. The calculator adds them up and maps the total to the published interpretation.

### Scoring table

ItemAnswers and pointsFatigue: feeling tired most or all of the time in the past 4 weeksNo = 0; Yes = 1Resistance: difficulty climbing 10 steps without resting or aidsNo = 0; Yes = 1Ambulation: difficulty walking 100–200 m without aidsNo = 0; Yes = 1Illnesses: 5 or more of hypertension, diabetes, cancer, chronic lung disease, heart attack, heart failure, angina, asthma, arthritis, stroke, kidney diseaseNo = 0; Yes = 1Loss of weight: more than 5% in the past yearNo = 0; Yes = 1

### Tips

- Assess on a typical day, not during an acute illness, unless the tool asks otherwise.
- Involve family or carers who know the person's usual abilities.
- Repeat assessments regularly to track change.
- Use results to plan support, not to label people.

### Common mistakes to avoid

- Scoring what the person could do rather than what they actually do.
- Ignoring hearing or vision problems during cognitive tests.
- Using a single score to decide care without a full assessment.

### Inputs explained

FieldWhat to enterFatigue: feeling tired most or all of the time in the past 4 weeksChoose one: No, YesResistance: difficulty climbing 10 steps without resting or aidsChoose one: No, YesAmbulation: difficulty walking 100–200 m without aidsChoose one: No, YesIllnesses: 5 or more of hypertension, diabetes, cancer, chronic lung disease, heart attack, heart failure, angina, asthma, arthritis, stroke, kidney diseaseChoose one: No, YesLoss of weight: more than 5% in the past yearChoose one: No, Yes
*Health note: this calculator is for education and screening only and is not a diagnosis or treatment advice. Discuss your results with a qualified clinician.*

## Worked example

Inputs — Fatigue: feeling tired most or all of the time in the past 4 weeks: Yes; Resistance: difficulty climbing 10 steps without resting or aids: No; Ambulation: difficulty walking 100–200 m without aids: No; Illnesses: 5 or more of hypertension, diabetes, cancer, chronic lung disease, heart attack, heart failure, angina, asthma, arthritis, stroke, kidney disease: No; Loss of weight: more than 5% in the past year: No.

Results — **FRAIL score = 1 / 5**; Frailty status = Pre-frail.

## Key terms

- **Frailty**: Reduced reserve and resilience in older age.

## FAQ

**Can frailty be reversed?**
Often – strength exercise, protein, reviewing medicines and treating illnesses can help.

**What is pre-frailty?**
One or two FRAIL items; a window for prevention.

**What other frailty tools exist?**
The Clinical Frailty Scale and the Fried frailty phenotype.


## Sources

- [Morley JE et al. A simple frailty questionnaire (FRAIL) predicts outcomes in middle aged African Americans. J Nutr Health Aging, 2012](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22836700/)