NEW YORK — Elderly people are suffering concussions and other brain injuries from falls at what appear to be unprecedented rates, according to a new report from U.S. government researchers.
The reason for the increase isn’t clear, the report’s authors said. But one likely factor is that more elderly people are living at home and taking repeated tumbles, said one expert.
“Many older adults are afraid their independence will be taken away if they admit to falling, and so they minimize it,” said Dr. Lauren Southerland, an Ohio State University emergency physician who specializes in geriatric care.
But what may seem like a mild initial fall may cause concussions or other problems that increase the chances of future falls and more severe injuries.
Whatever the cause, the numbers are striking, according to the new report released Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
One in every 45 Americans 75 and older suffered brain injuries that resulted in emergency department visits, hospitalizations, or deaths in 2013. The rate for that age group jumped 76 percent from 2007. The rate of these injuries for people of all ages rose 39 percent over that time, hitting a record level.