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Worrying photo sparks fresh concerns for Queen Elizabeth's health

<p>The public has seen their first glimpse of Queen Elizabeth in almost 8 weeks as she appointed Britain's new prime minister in an official engagement.</p> <p>Rather than taking place at Buckingham Palace as per tradition, the ceremony was held inside the green-carpeted drawn room at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. </p> <p>The monarch was supported by her walking cane as she invited Liz Truss, Her Majesty's 15th prime minister in her 70-year-reign, to form a new government.</p> <p>Despite Her Majesty looking lively and happy during the meeting, people were quick to spot the large bruise on the Queen's hand, reigniting concerns about the monarch's health. </p> <p>ITV's royal editor Chris Ship said the bruising was a sign of changing times in the Queen's advancing years.</p> <p>"I'm no medic but it could be some form of cannula that the Queen's had, we are guessing," Ship told <em>Today</em>.</p> <p>"Buckingham Palace never tells us about her ongoing medical conditions. She's 96 years old. A frail lady, let's be clear. And queen of advancing age.</p> <p> </p> <p>"We're going to get used to the constitutional diary having to be changed to suit the needs of an ageing monarch."</p> <p>The decision to call outgoing leader Boris Johnson, and his replacement, to Balmoral was taken due to the Queen's comfort.</p> <p>Reports claim that the Queen has been advised against excessive travelling, having reportedly endured "a change in the past few weeks" in her mobility, <a title="The Telegraph" href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/royal-family/2022/09/06/queens-balmoral-audience-liz-truss-sign-changing-times/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Telegraph</a> UK reports.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p> <div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: 'Proxima Nova', system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Fira Sans', 'Droid Sans', 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; caret-color: #333333; color: #333333; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;"> <div id="outbrain_widget_0" class="OUTBRAIN" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" data-src="//honey.nine.com.au/royals/queen-elizabeth-health-fears-renewed-after-bruised-hand-seen-in-meeting-with-prime-minister-at-balmoral/22de3833-5f72-4a1b-8ebd-072180acbf68" data-widget-id="AR_8" data-external-id="e10677520a27f6286db19824e4a585aa" data-ob-mark="true" data-browser="safari" data-os="macintel" data-dynload="" data-idx="0"> <div class="ob-widget ob-grid-layout AR_8 ob-cmn-AR_8" style="box-sizing: content-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; position: relative;" data-dynamic-truncate="true"> <div class="ob-widget-header" style="box-sizing: content-box; margin: 24px 0px 14px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: 'Proxima Nova', sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: bold; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: flex; -webkit-box-pack: justify; justify-content: space-between; -webkit-box-align: center; align-items: center; color: #303030;"> </div> </div> </div> </div>

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Frailty can be reduced in older Australians

<p dir="ltr">The stay-at-home health restrictions to protect Aussies from Covid has seen frailty increase amongst those aged 65 and over. </p> <p dir="ltr">People were restricted from visiting their service clubs, attending exercise groups, and doing their usual community activities that keep them active.</p> <p dir="ltr">This in turn then saw a lack of interest in people getting back into the swing of things when it comes to their health which in turn saw frailty increase. </p> <p dir="ltr">Frailty sees older people falling over more, an increase in functional loss, and at risk of poor health. </p> <p dir="ltr">This affects one in two people from the age of 65 and over. </p> <p dir="ltr"> Judy Lowthian, the Head of Research at Bolton Clarke Professor is leading the Being Your Best program, which works with major Melbourne health providers and older people at risk of frailty to develop.</p> <p dir="ltr">Ms Lowthian is looking to deliver preventative interventions including physical activity, cognitive training, nutrition, and social support. </p> <p dir="ltr">“We know that physical exercise like strength and resistance training is effective and it’s more effective if you do it in a group situation,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We also know we have to look at nutritional needs because frailty can include losing weight.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Cognitive training, like word games and crosswords, and social support are also valuable – people who have a tendency to be frail also tend to become more isolated.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“Pre-pandemic up to one in two older Australians were pre-frail. However, with ongoing and recurring lockdowns, there has been an alarming increase in falls among older people due to decreased physical functioning associated with social isolation and decreased physical activity.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p>

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Could you be denied surgery with this new test?

<p>A new ‘Frailty Index’ is being developed to assess whether patients qualify for surgery in order to help hospitals minimise ‘futile’ surgeries.</p> <p>The Frailty Index is currently being developed by Melbourne hospitals and will measure how well a person will recover from surgery.</p> <p>The Index is targeted to assess whether an older patient will survive surgery and how long they’ll live after an operation.</p> <p>Anaesthetist and intensive care specialist Dr Jai Darvall from Royal Melbourne Hospital will assess 250 patients before and after surgery to observe the factors that influence accurately providing an assessment of a person’s suitability for surgery.</p> <p>The test follows the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA) urging doctors and families to be open about the benefits of proposed surgery.</p> <p>The Frailty Index will indicate who may be beyond help and who could benefit.</p> <p>“You could have a really fit 80-year-old who is running marathons who poses less of a surgical risk than a 60-year-old frail person,” said Dr Darvall.</p> <p>“As you get older you accumulate deficits and that might be some comorbidities (such as) heart disease, lung disease, it might be problems with hearing or vision, problems with mobility, a person’s gait or arthritis, or not being able to do the stuff they used to.”</p> <p>“One by one, these things start to mount up and eventually they reach a threshold where you say a person is frail," Dr Darvall added.</p> <p>“It means that recovery is much harder and people are more likely to go on to poorer recovery, perhaps not getting back home or not getting back to functional independence,” Dr Darvall concluded.</p> <p>“In the end what we are aiming for with anaesthesia and surgery is to improve somebody’s quality of life — it is not just about quantity, it is about quality,” said ANZCA president Professor David Scott. “And that means taking on board people’s own views and expectations and what they want to achieve."</p> <p>Professor Scott added, “We are fixated on this idea that if there is a small chance of surviving then it is a success. But that may not be the case. It could be three months relatively pain free, highly-mobile quality of life compared to six months following a major operation with a long drawn out recovery, most likely some complications, and actually never getting back to that good quality life you expected.”</p> <p>What do you think of this Frailty Index? Let us know in the comments below. </p>

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