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By Jacob Pamus
On July 26, 81-year-old Senator Minority Leader Mitch McConnell abruptly froze mid sentence for around 20 seconds during a press conference, he was escorted away and later returned to finish.It is unknown for sure what the cause of this behavior is, whether it was related to his concussion in March from falling earlier this year.
But the symptoms can also be a sign of a mini-stroke, known as a Trasient Ischemic Attack (TSI) or even a major stroke.. Whether you support Mitch Mconnell, a Republican, or not it is important to recognize how dangerous a stroke can be, especially for older individuals. If you suspect someone is having a stroke, you need to call 911 immediately for proper treatment since the longer it takes to get treatment, the higher the risk of damage to the brain.
This incident, along with health issues involving California Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein, who is 90, also raises concerns over the fitness of some long-serving members of Congress.
Feinstein, who missed weeks of work in the Senate due to complications of shingles, seemed to forget she had been gone and more recently had to be prompted to vote in committee. Her struggles with illness have helped draw national attention to the dangers posed by shingles and dementia for older adults,and the value of vaccines to prevent shingles.
The obvious health issues of both aging Senators have prompted renewed calls for term limits, though critics denounce this as ageism, pointing to the more robust health of some other aging politicians, such as Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders,81,and Chuck Grassley, 89.
Both parties’ current leading presidential contenders are older than any previous president. Joe Biden is 80 and Donald Trump is 77.The health issues tied to aging do, however, highlight the importance of political parties recruiting younger candidates as well as a reminder for voters to keep the health of candidates in mind when casting their ballots.
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