Senator Mitch McConnell

Doctors typically classify concussions as a mild form of traumatic brain injury — “but mild is often a misnomer, especially when it comes to older adults,” said ...

The anatomy of the aging brain can predispose it to more serious brain injury: For instance, older adults are at a higher risk of tearing blood vessels in their brains, Dr. And taking anticoagulation medications, like blood thinners, which is more prevalent in an older population, can elevate the risk of bleeding in the brain. The basic building blocks of good health — restful sleep, ample hydration, regular check-ins with a primary care physician, as well as social support from friends and family — can all help. Much of the research into concussions focuses on younger people, particularly athletes, said Benjamin Emanuel, a neurologist at Keck Medicine at the University of Southern California. But, he added, most older patients can, and usually do, make a full recovery. Falls are the most common cause of concussion among any age group, said Dr. Vavilala, director of the Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center at the University of Washington School of Medicine. Some people with concussions also vomit, feel sluggish or groggy or just “don’t feel right,” according to the Joel Salinas, a clinical assistant professor of neurology at NYU Langone Health. Geoffrey Manley, a professor of neurological surgery at the University of California, San Francisco. Rates of concussions are increasing rapidly among older adults, said Dr. According to a spokesman, he was injured when he fell at the Waldorf Astoria hotel.