A new study has found that older adults who suffer a traumatic brain injury (TBI) are more likely to develop dementia, need home care, or be admitted to long-term care.
The research was published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal and highlights how serious the effects of TBI can be in older people.
Traumatic brain injuries happen when someone hits their head or experiences a strong force, such as in a fall or car accident.
It can lead to confusion, memory loss, slurred speech, or weakness in the body. In older adults, more than half of these injuries are caused by falls, which are often preventable.
The study was led by Dr. Yu Qing Huang and Dr. Jennifer Watt, both geriatricians in Toronto. They and their team looked at health records from over 260,000 Canadians aged 65 or older.
They followed these people between 2004 and 2020 to see how many developed dementia or needed extra care.
They found that people who had a TBI were 69% more likely to develop dementia in the first five years after the injury.
Even after five years, the risk was still 56% higher compared to those without a TBI. These individuals also needed more home care services and were more often placed in long-term care facilities.
The risk of dementia was especially high for older adults aged 85 and above and for women.
People living in poorer neighborhoods were also more at risk than those in wealthier areas. Those in small towns or communities with less cultural diversity were more likely to be moved into long-term care.
The researchers say that this information can help doctors, patients, and families understand the long-term effects of a brain injury.
They suggest that programs to prevent falls and support older adults should be focused on areas where people are most at risk, especially women over 75 living in low-income or less diverse regions.
This study shows that even a brain injury late in life can have a serious impact on health and care needs. By preventing falls and helping those who have had a TBI, we may be able to reduce dementia and support older people to live safely at home.
If you care about dementia, please read studies about Common drug for constipation is linked to higher dementia risk and findings of Scientists find link between heartburn drugs and increased dementia risk.
For more about dementia, please read studies about Scientists find a drug related to Viagra may help treat vascular dementia and findings of link between body inflammation and dementia risk.
The study is published in Canadian Medical Association Journal.
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