Program Overview

Overview of the Assessment & Management of Frailty in Ageing Adults Micro-credential

The Assessment & Management of Frailty in Ageing Adults micro-credential is designed for health or social care professionals working with older adults in any setting. This micro-credential aims to review the concept of frailty and provide education on Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment and the management of common geriatric syndromes.

Who is this Micro-credential for?

• Health or social care professionals working with older adults in any setting would benefit from this micro-credential.
• Relevant professionals include doctors, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, and all allied health and social care professionals.
• Service managers will also be considered.

Why should I take this Micro-credential?

• Frailty is a state of diminished physiological reserve and increased vulnerability to stressors in ageing adults.
• Many newly created services for older people routinely measure frailty.
• However, different frailty identification tools may be suited to different settings and purposes.
• This micro-credential will review the concept of frailty and the multiple methods available to identify it, emphasising understanding the different geriatric dimensions they address and the advantages and disadvantages of every method in different settings.

What will I learn?

• Describe the concept of frailty in ageing adults.
• Recognise the biological underpinnings of frailty in ageing adults.
• Differentiate the various methods for identifying frailty in ageing adults.
• Identify the relevance and importance of assessing frailty in healthcare settings.
• Outline the principles of comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) in the management of frailty and geriatric syndromes.
• Describe the application of CGA for the management of frailty in speciality scenarios (e.g., surgery, oncology).
• Describe the application of CGA for the management of frailty in special patient groups (e.g., HIV, intellectual disabilities).

Course Details

• Awards: 5 ECTS | Level 9
• Number of Places: 50 Places
• Next Intake: September
• Course Coordinator: Ms Siobhan Hedigan
• Course Director: Prof. Roman Romero-Ortuno
• Closing Date: 31st July

Admission Requirements

• The course targets health or social care professionals working with older adults in any settings.
• Suitable professionals include doctors, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, and allied health and social care professionals.
• Service managers will also be considered.
• All applicants whose first language is not English and who have not been educated through the medium of English should also display a high level of competence in the English language in one of the examination systems recognised by Trinity College Dublin.
• Up to date CV required.

Course Fees

• The course qualifies for a 50% subsidy from the EU Fee under the HCI Fees Subsidy.
• The amount of fee subsidy for eligible Non-EU learners may vary.
• Subsidised Course EU-fee for eligible candidates applying for micro-credential "Assessment & Management of Frailty in Ageing Adults" in academic year 2024/25 will be 695 euro.

How will this Micro-credential be delivered?

• This micro-credential is delivered fully online with the ten 2-hour online lectures, delivered once a week during day time.
• The Micro-credential will include: online lectures, 1:1 online tutorials, small online group sessions on reflective writing and online peer support.

How is this Micro-credential assessed?

• Attendance to at least eight lectures
• Coursework marked by name: 3,000-word reflective assignment on how the identification, assessment and management of frailty add value to a practice scenario.