The conference “Preventing Frailty from Primary and Community Care: Lessons Learned and Challenges,” organized by the Marqués de Valdecilla Research Institute (IDIVAL) together with the Cantabrian Health Service (SCS), brought together healthcare and social professionals, researchers, community stakeholders, and citizens to address one of the main challenges associated with aging: frailty.
The meeting, led by Carmen Secades, SCS physiotherapist and coordinator of the Cantabrian School of Health and by Mónica del Amo, Head of Quality at the Primary Care Management of the SCS, is part of the European Joint Action CIRCE (CIRCE-JA), funded by the EU4Health programme. This initiative positions Primary Care as a strategic pillar to strengthen the resilience, accessibility, and sustainability of healthcare systems across the European Union.
Cantabria: A laboratory for innovation in prevention
Within the framework of this European project, Cantabria is replicating in its Primary Care system the best practice of the Health Promotion Centres (HPC), developed in Slovenia and recognized as a benchmark model in prevention and health promotion through a comprehensive, person-centered approach.
From IDIVAL, this initiative strengthens the transfer of scientific evidence into clinical practice through the implementation of models that integrate clinical, social, and community perspectives.
Frailty: A reality beyond the clinical dimension
During the conference, participants emphasized the need to understand frailty beyond its biomedical dimension, recognizing it as a complex reality shaped by physical, social, relational, and community factors.
Topics addressed included:
• The influence of nutrition on functional capacity.
• Risks associated with polypharmacy.
• Social frailty as a relevant determinant of health.
The importance of strengthening coordination between healthcare services and community resources was also highlighted. In this context, the role of physiotherapists in community-based fall prevention programs was presented, aimed at reducing injuries and preserving autonomy and quality of life among older adults.
Results and lessons learned after one year of implementation
After more than a year of development, the CIRCE project has enabled the consolidation in Cantabria of a community-based intervention model for frailty prevention, integrated into Primary Care.
The results show:
• Improvements in mobility, balance, and functional capacity among participants.
• Progress in coordination between healthcare professionals and community resources.
• Strengthened adherence and social connections within group-based interventions.
Overall, the experience highlights the importance of a comprehensive, evidence-based, and network-coordinated response to prevent frailty.
The conference concluded with a call to continue advancing collaborative models that integrate research, healthcare delivery, and community engagement in order to provide effective and sustainable responses to this demographic and healthcare challenge.
