Brain Injuries Impacting Older Adults
Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) can affect people of any age, from young children to older adults. TBIs are classified based on their severity. Most people who sustain mild TBIs, also known as concussions, will recover, but there can be long-term consequences. Moderate and severe TBIs tend to have worse outcomes, especially for older adults, according to a recent study discussed in McKnight’s Long-Term Care News. Further, new research also suggests that older adults sustain TBIs at a rate higher than previously believed.
There are many different causes of TBIs, although a large percentage of them occur in motor vehicle crashes. When another party is liable for a brain injury that occurred in a traffic collision, it is important to seek legal advice. For older adults in particular, the consequences of even a mild TBI can be life-threatening. Our Shreveport brain injury lawyers can tell you more about recent research concerning brain injuries and older adults, and seeking compensation after a head trauma.
Brain Injuries Commonly Affect Older Adults
Older adults, whether they live at home and independently or in an assisted-living facility or nursing home, sustain traumatic brain injuries at surprising rates, according to a recent study published in JAMA Open Network. The authors of the study found that about one out of every eight adults aged 65 and up will sustain a TBI, and that number is even higher in the population of older adults aged 75 and up. The rate of traumatic brain injuries among these populations is “shockingly high,” according to a senior author of the study.
The study also found that lower income older adults are more likely to sustain brain injuries than others, and the authors estimate that the rate of TBIs they identified is a likely undercount.
Serious Effects of Brain Injuries in Older Adults
People of any age who sustain a brain injury in a motor vehicle collision or in another kind of incident can experience immediate and long-term consequences. Yet for older adults who suffer brain injuries, the effects may be more immediate and more severe.
The recent study in JAMA Open Network discussed above alludes to the fact that head trauma among elderly Americans tend to be diagnosed with certain medical conditions with more frequency, such as lung disease, and may be less likely to recover fully enough to live independently. Yet the consequences may be even more severe than that. According to a new report published in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia, data suggests that a brain injury in older adulthood may be linked to cognitive decline and to forms of dementia. In short, older adults who suffer a TBI have a greater likelihood of being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia in the near future.
Contact a Shreveport Brain Injury Lawyer Today
Whether you have questions about filing a brain injury claim to help an elderly parent, or you sustained a brain injury yourself, it is important to seek legal advice. Depending on the circumstances of your injury, you could be eligible to seek compensation by filing an insurance claim or a lawsuit. One of our experienced Shreveport personal injury attorneys at Rice & Kendig can speak with you today about your options. Contact us today at 318-222-2772 to schedule a free consultation.
Sources:
mcknights.com/news/multiple-traumatic-brain-injuries-raise-odds-for-worse-cognitive-decline-study-finds/
eurekalert.org/news-releases/1046418#:~:text=Some
