There is definitely a ‘frailness syndrome’ which we ought not to delete from our language of understanding of what is going on for a person who has it. I can’t say I’ve ever associated it with the end stage of life i.e. dying per se.

Very soon there won’t be a language that describes illness and its effects on the person – those very things that need to be addressed properly if we ‘professionals’ are to succeed in maximising the abilities that a person has, or are restorable or be positively lived with. Deleting the language of the negative consequences of compromised health from our language can mean (I think has meant and continues to mean) we are in danger of neglecting the causal elements of illness – what can be effectively managed for and by the person to impact positively on their everyday life. The ‘Ying and Yang’ of illness and wellness are inextricably intertwined. At a personal level I would not wish my frailness to be relegated to the miscellaneous tick box in the corner of care plans inferring ‘no action needed’ and ‘just one of those things’. Addressing the issues of living with frailness (if properly unravelled medically and socially), can mean a whole positive difference to having a life in old age. Saying a person is living with a condition is value neutral – there are those who suffer terribly despite the best treatment and support and there those that fare much better or even very well. We would do well to have the stark realities and contrasts ‘drummed’ into us. I don’t think we should be afraid of language. Rather we need to listen to what a person says and feels, truly find out how it is for them and acquire knowledge and skills of best practice so that we can strive to make a positive difference.