Dr John Travers and colleagues’ research published in the official journal of the British Geriatrics Society, Age and Ageing
In an important major study Dr John Travers and colleagues from University College Dublin, Trinity College Dublin, Munster Technological University and six general practices, demonstrated how frailty can be reversed and resilience enhanced by simple and low-cost resistance exercises and dietary protein.
Dr Travers states, “Most people believe frailty is inevitable and irreversible as 
we age. However, this clinical trial showed that a low-cost, home-based intervention can reverse frailty and significantly improve muscle strength, bone mass, activity levels and slowness in three months.”
Frailty is the term used to describe increased vulnerability with high risks of illness, falls, disability and death. Physical resilience is at the other end of the health spectrum to frailty and is the ability to withstand physical stresses. The prevalence of frailty in adults aged over 65 years is about 10% and increases to 50% in those over 80. As the population ages, frailty will not only affect the quality and length of peoples’ lives but also generate an unsustainable burden on health services. This study provides hope and evidence to combat frailty with community and home-based solutions.
Some specific, useful recommendations from the researchers include: 20 minutes of daily activity at home comprising 10 exercises to strengthen arms and legs and to improve balance and coordination. There should be dietary emphasis on a variety of protein, including daily milk, eggs, tuna, chicken or plant-based protein such as beans and lentils. “It is never too late to start appropriate exercise. The older we get, the more important this becomes. This study offers hope that people can achieve higher levels of resilience than previously thought possible,” concluded Dr Travers.