Title: Traumatic Brain Injury in Older Adults

Presenter: Carmen M. Tyler, MA, MEd

Credit: 1 Clinical Medicine

Session Description: This presentation is suitable for documentation specialists of all levels of background knowledge related to brain injury and the stage of human development referred to as older adulthood. Attendees will learn about the pathophysiology, classification, and epidemiology of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and how these concepts pertain to older adults with regard to assessment, treatment, and outcome trajectories over time. Specifically, functional independence in motor and cognitive domains after TBI in older adulthood will be examined through the lenses of sociodemographic variables such as sex, race, education, pre-injury limitations, employment, and injury severity. Clinical implications of these findings will then be discussed.

Learning Objectives

1. Learn the definition of traumatic brain injury and important criteria.
2. Understand the pathophysiology and classification of traumatic brain injury.
3. Learn the importance of understanding effects of traumatic brain injury in older adults.
4. Hear about age-related risk factors related to traumatic brain injury in older adults.
5. Describe sociodemographic influences on risk and outcomes of traumatic brain injury in older adults.

Bio: Carmen Tyler is a pre-doctoral intern who will graduate with her PhD in Counseling Psychology next year. She has a Master of Arts degree in Adult Development and Aging, a Master of Education degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, and she is a licensed professional counselor in Ohio. Carmen’s research and clinical foci are improving wellbeing and quality of life in older adults, particularly those with chronic illnesses, neurological impairments, brain injuries, and/or severe mental illness and their caregivers. She has practiced as a therapist for the past five years and has published 13 research articles in peer-reviewed journals.

Recording Origination Date: November 10, 2022