{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,27]],"date-time":"2026-01-27T09:38:49Z","timestamp":1769506729463,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":57,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,10,8]],"date-time":"2024-10-08T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1728345600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Department of Defense office of the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP)","award":["W81XWH2010756"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["W81XWH2010756"]}]},{"name":"Lt. Col. Luke Weathers, Jr. Veterans Affairs Medical Center at Memphis and Virginia Commonwealth University","award":["W81XWH2010756"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["W81XWH2010756"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Geriatrics"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: This study provides a detailed examination of older Veterans with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and dementia and their caregivers, focusing on Veterans\u2019 demographic, clinical, functional, safety risk, and behavioral characteristics and caregivers\u2019 demographic, clinical, and care-related characteristics and well-being. Methods: Veterans\u2019 caregivers (N = 110) completed a telephone-based survey. Results: Veterans averaged eight comorbid health conditions, with over 60% having chronic pain, hypertension, post-traumatic stress disorder, or depression. Caregivers reported helping with an average of three activities of daily living, with the highest percentages of Veterans needing assistance with grooming, dressing, and bathing. Almost all Veterans needed assistance with shopping, cooking, medication management, housework, laundry, driving, and finances. Veterans averaged two safety risks, the most common being access to dangerous objects, access to a gun, and not being able to respond to emergency situations. Although Veterans averaged 14 behavioral concerns, caregivers reported that their family needs relating to TBI were generally met or partly met, and they voiced confidence in their ability to respond to behaviors and control their upsetting thoughts. Caregivers\u2019 mean burden score was severe, while mean depression and anxiety scores were mild. Caregivers reported an average of 10.5 h per day providing care and 20.1 h per day on duty. Conclusions: The findings demonstrate the increased presence of impairments, safety risks, and behavioral issues in Veterans with comorbid TBI and dementia, as well as increased impacts on families\u2019 burdens and care provision requirements. Clinicians should be alert for and educate TBI patients and caregivers on the warning signs of post-TBI dementia and its associated functional, behavioral, and safety risk profile, as well as challenges related to caregiver well-being. Healthcare policymakers must consider the increased caregiver demands associated with comorbid TBI and dementia, as well as the need for expanded long-term support and services.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/geriatrics9050130","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,10,8]],"date-time":"2024-10-08T12:02:10Z","timestamp":1728388930000},"page":"130","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":5,"title":["Demographics, Clinical Characteristics, and Well-Being of Veterans with TBI and Dementia and Their Caregivers"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"9","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7085-4883","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Linda O.","family":"Nichols","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38163, USA"},{"name":"Caregiver Center, Lt. Col. Luke Weathers, Jr. Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Memphis, TN 38105, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Jennifer","family":"Martindale-Adams","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38163, USA"},{"name":"Caregiver Center, Lt. Col. Luke Weathers, Jr. Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Memphis, TN 38105, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Ronald T.","family":"Seel","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, School of Medicine, Center for Rehabilitation Science and Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0003-7638-037X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jeffrey K.","family":"Zuber","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38163, USA"},{"name":"Caregiver Center, Lt. Col. Luke Weathers, Jr. Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Memphis, TN 38105, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2070-215X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Paul B.","family":"Perrin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Data Science and Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA"},{"name":"Central Virginia Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Richmond, VA 23249, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,10,8]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"DOD TBI Worldwide Numbers (2024, May 28). Military Health System. 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