• About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
  • Find & Hire Elder Care Pro’s
Elder Care News
Find Trusted Elder care Providers - ElderCare.Expert
  • Front Page
  • Home Care
    • Home Health Care
  • Assisted Living
  • Skilled Nursing
    • Nursing Homes
  • Senior Health
    • Alzheimer’s
    • Parkinson’s
  • Technology
    • Apps
    • Gadgets
    • Telehealth
  • Elder Law
    • Long Term Care Planning
    • Long Term Care Insurance
  • Senior Living
No Result
View All Result
  • Front Page
  • Home Care
    • Home Health Care
  • Assisted Living
  • Skilled Nursing
    • Nursing Homes
  • Senior Health
    • Alzheimer’s
    • Parkinson’s
  • Technology
    • Apps
    • Gadgets
    • Telehealth
  • Elder Law
    • Long Term Care Planning
    • Long Term Care Insurance
  • Senior Living
No Result
View All Result
Elder Care News
No Result
View All Result
Home Senior Health Parkinson's

Parkinson’s and ALS Claims Made By Retired NFL Players

NFL fund may not cover all applicants who develop neurological disorders

Bob Thomson by Bob Thomson
August 21, 2018
in Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Senior Health
1 0
0
Parkinson’s and ALS Claims Made By Retired NFL Players
2
SHARES
64
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

As we gear up to watch our favorite football teams and players this fall some ghosts of Football’s past are echoing. A recent agreement by the National Football League is compensating former players with a fund for treatment of diagnosed brain disorders like Parkinson’s, ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis aka Lou Gehrig’s disease) and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Several studies have linked the occurrence of certain neurological disorders with traumatic brain injuries (TBI’s).

One such study by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) found that retired NFL players were 4x more likely to die from ALS than members of the general population. The study found no statistical significance with Parkinson’s development however. It’s important to note that these studies have shown scientific correlation of TBI’s with development of brain disorders but not causation. The report below by Laurie Johnson at icd10monitor.com highlights the recent developments… (emphasis, formatting added)

In addition to CTE, head trauma could also lead to Parkinson’s and ALS.

The National Football League (NFL) signed an agreement in January 2017 covering 17,200 registered league retirees to compensate them for treatment of diagnosed neurological disorders, up to $5 million per person. The proposed fund totaled $675 million and would cover claims for 65 years.

Settlements have been paid or approved for 67 chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) deaths totaling $84.5 million to date, which is a higher sum than expected. At the rate that claims have been filed and approved, the fund will not last for 65 years.

The neurological disorders being diagnosed are not limited to CTE.

CTE has been the primary focus for the NFL, but claims have been filed for Parkinson’s and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) as well. ICD10monitor began reporting on the CTE issue beginning in January 2016.

Parkinson’s disease (G20) is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects the dopamine-producing neurons in the brain, according to the Parkinson’s Foundation. There are five stages to Parkinson’s disease.

In stage one, the symptoms are mild and include tremor, changes in posture or walking, or facial expression variances. In stage two, daily tasks become more difficult. Rigidity, tremors, and other movement symptoms begin to affect both sides of the body.

Loss of balance and movement slowness are the signs for stage three. In stage four, movement requires a walker. The patient is unable to live alone and requires assistance with activities of daily living. Stage five is the most severe. The patient may be bedridden or require a wheelchair due to leg stiffness, and can experience hallucinations.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (G12.21) is also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Similar to Parkinson’s, ALS is a progressive disease that involves the motor neurons only. ALS has a gradual onset, which is variable from patient to patient. Symptoms can include slurred speech and difficulty in swallowing or in moving the hands and feet. The average survival time is three to five years. Eventually, the respiratory muscles are affected, meaning the patient will need mechanical ventilation.

According to a recent Los Angeles Times article, a total of 113 Parkinson’s and 42 ALS claims have been filed by former players or their representatives. A total of 81 Parkinson’s and 30 ALS claims have been paid or approved by the NFL to date, totaling $146.5 million. Based on the current figures, there is a projection that the total will amount to $1.4 billion, which is far higher than the original projection.

A study was conducted on military veterans over a 12-year period, specifically focused on those with previous brain injury. The results showed that such veterans were more likely to develop Parkinson’s disease. In 2012, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) examined the death certificates for 3,439 NFL retirees who played a minimum of five years in the league from 1959 to 1988.

The results revealed that the former players were more likely to die from brain diseases than men from the general population, but Parkinson’s was not one of the conditions that reached statistical significance. This CDC study provided information regarding the correlation between ALS and the NFL retirees. The results showed that the NFL players were four times more likely to die from ALS than members of the general population.

It appears that repeated trauma to the head may increase the odds that a person could develop not just CTE, but Parkinson’s, ALS, and/or other neurological disorders. The NFL CTE fund may not cover all of the applicants who develop neurological disorders due to playing football.

This topic is something to ponder as the football season kicks off in the next few weeks. Play ball?

Thumbnail and article courtesy of icd10monitor.com

Tags: ALSBrain DisordersCDCCenters for Disease Control and PreventionChronic Traumatic EncephalopathyCTELou Gehrig's DiseaseNational Football LeagueNFLNFL CTE FundParkinson'sTBITraumatic Brain Injury

Get Updates, Breaking News & More

Unsubscribe
Find and Get Quotes for Home Care, Assisted Living and Skilled Nursing
Bob Thomson

Bob Thomson

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Can The $3 Trillion US Healthcare Industry Be Redesigned By Google?

Can The $3 Trillion US Healthcare Industry Be Redesigned By Google?

May 7, 2018
Elderly Seniors Internet Usage Statistics (Info Graphic)

Elderly Seniors Internet Usage Statistics (Info Graphic)

October 12, 2018
Info graphic of block chain insurance claims process

Blockchain Integration Into Healthcare

November 15, 2018
NYS Dept of Labor

Proposed NY Labor Rules Will Increase Senior Care Costs

April 6, 2018
Non Clinical Home Care Software Market Forecast to Reach 6.4 Billion USD by 2023

Home Care Software Market Expected to Reach 6.4 Billion USD by 2023

2
senior health stethoscope

Increased Growth in Health Care Jobs Not All Positive

0
Daunting Long Term Care Choices Faced By Aging Seniors

Daunting Long Term Care Choices Faced By Aging Seniors

0
US Elder Care Costs, Caregiver Scarcity Continue To Increase

US Elder Care Costs, Caregiver Scarcity Continue To Increase

0
home care contract

Caregiver Theft: Protect Your Home Care Agency With These Safeguards

January 15, 2019
Top 5 Holiday Gifts for Elderly Loved Ones

Top 5 Holiday Gifts for Elderly Loved Ones

December 18, 2018
Lonely Seniors Get Visit From Santa

Lonely Seniors Get Visit From Santa

December 13, 2018
Home Care Need in Rural Areas & Suburbs Increasing Faster Than Cities

Home Care Need in Rural Areas & Suburbs Increasing Faster Than Cities

December 5, 2018

Recent News

home care contract

Caregiver Theft: Protect Your Home Care Agency With These Safeguards

January 15, 2019
Top 5 Holiday Gifts for Elderly Loved Ones

Top 5 Holiday Gifts for Elderly Loved Ones

December 18, 2018
Lonely Seniors Get Visit From Santa

Lonely Seniors Get Visit From Santa

December 13, 2018
Home Care Need in Rural Areas & Suburbs Increasing Faster Than Cities

Home Care Need in Rural Areas & Suburbs Increasing Faster Than Cities

December 5, 2018

Stay Connected

Elder Care News

We bring you breaking news and the latest information, trending topics and featured stories from the universe of senior care.

Follow Us

Recent News

home care contract

Caregiver Theft: Protect Your Home Care Agency With These Safeguards

January 15, 2019
Top 5 Holiday Gifts for Elderly Loved Ones

Top 5 Holiday Gifts for Elderly Loved Ones

December 18, 2018
  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
  • Find & Hire Elder Care Pro’s

© 2018 News.ElderCare.Expert - Breaking News, Featured Stories in the World of Senior Care

No Result
View All Result
  • Front Page
  • Home Care
    • Home Health Care
  • Assisted Living
  • Skilled Nursing
    • Nursing Homes
  • Senior Health
    • Alzheimer’s
    • Parkinson’s
  • Technology
    • Apps
    • Gadgets
    • Telehealth
  • Elder Law
    • Long Term Care Planning
    • Long Term Care Insurance
  • Senior Living

© 2018 News.ElderCare.Expert - Breaking News, Featured Stories in the World of Senior Care

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In