Table 1.

Inclusion criteria.

Frail elder: Age ⩾65; Rockwood Clinical Frailty Score a (CFS) 6 or 7; Clinically assessed as likely to be in their last years of life; Living in a domestic dwelling; Able to understand English well enough to consent and participate; Has capacity and is assessed as able to cope physically, cognitively and emotionally by their clinician using the Mental Capacity Act or the researcher using the processual model of consent b ;21,22 If bereaved, this should be more than 6 months before recruitment.

Family: Aged 18 or above; Nominated by the frail elder or the referring clinician; Able to understand English well enough to consent and participate; If bereaved, this should be more than 6 months before recruitment.

^aThe CFS ²³ is scored from 0 to 9. Higher scores representing greater levels of frailty. Older people scoring 6 (moderately frail, require help with all outside activities and keeping house) or 7 (severely frail, completely dependent for personal care) were eligible.

^bThe processual model of consent ²² recognises the need to ensure the understanding and decision-making capacity of participants throughout the research in a flexible and individualised way, to enable participants to function at their best capacity.