Now that the weather is turning colder, the snow and ice will follow. Unfortunately, icy conditions increase the risk of older adults slipping and falling, and possibly suffering a concussion.

According to a new survey published in The American Journal of Sports Medicine, women have worse symptoms than men following a concussion.

While researchers examined the effects of concussions as a sports injury, the results apply to seniors as well because even though the cause is different, it still shows how being concussed affects genders differently. Therefore, the recovery process and treatment need to be adjusted accordingly.

The study examined 39 male and 56 female soccer players who had concussions. All of the athletes took computer tests to assess their learning and memory skills, their reaction times and their physical symptoms eight days after being concussed. Women scored lower on the test measuring the ability to remember visual images and reported more total symptoms after their concussions. Both genders had similar amounts of pain and mood changes, but women also noted migraines and trouble sleeping twice as often as men.

Following a fall, especially if there’s a concussion, older adults will most likely be more comfortable recovering in their own homes. Senior care services can provide assistance during that time with proper medication dosage to treat symptoms and helping the individual move around while they heal.