Concussions in tennis; malnutrition and body mass; federal money for home and community-based services – Morning Medical Update

Tough on the elbow and the noggin

How fast does a tennis ball have to travel to cause traumatic brain injuries if it hits a player’s head? Faster than a cheetah runs, according to a new study and accompanying news release.

Malnutrition and IBD

Researchers discovered 14% of patients seeking treatment for inflammatory bowel diseases, also screened positive for malnutrition, even with a normal or overweight body mass index. “This finding is an important reminder that malnutrition risk can develop at any body mass index,” but a Malnutrition Screening Tool takes just minutes to administer.

$37B to care for seniors

The White House spelled out how the federal Inflation Reduction Act has provided $37 billion to assist more than 7 million seniors and people with disabilities through home and community-based services, as opposed to care in institutions or other isolated settings. Programs are happening in all 50 states, and President Joe Biden’s fact sheet summarized efforts in Colorado, Maine, North Carolina, Ohio, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.