Reduce the Risks Associated With Sensory Loss
It’s hardly headline news that vision and hearing losses are common among older adults. However, research has revealed some startling findings about the prevalence and degree of deficits in all five senses, and it highlights the importance of tackling theses deficits with treatments and strategies.
A study that measured deficits in all five senses—vision, hearing, taste, touch, and smell—found that a staggering 94 percent of the study participants, who were between ages 57 and 85, had at least one sensory deficit. All of the deficits are associated with the potential for serious consequences.
Numerous Sensory Deficits
More importantly, multiple deficits were also common: 38 percent of the participants had two deficits, and 28 percent had three or more deficits.
“We have observed multisensory loss in our patients, but this study highlights how common the phenomenon is; fully 50 percent of the 75- to 85-year-olds studied had at least three sensory deficits,” says Eugenia Siegler, MD, a geriatrician at the Irving Sherwood Wright Center on Aging at Weill Cornell.
Keep in mind that if you have one sensory impairment, you may have others. Tell your healthcare provider if you are having difficulty with any of your senses. Ask if a screening test for multisensory impairment is warranted.
“Do a home safety evaluation,” advises Dr. Siegler. “A general home safety checklist is available from the Office of the Surgeon General, and the CDC offers a checklist geared more toward fall prevention.”
A closer look at each sense provides more information about potential dangers, as well as treatments and strategies that can help.
Vision
Among the study participants, about 80 percent had good corrected vision (20/40 or better), 14 percent had fair corrected vision (between 20/40 and 20/63), and six percent had poor corrected vision (below 20/63).
Poor vision is connected with a higher risk of falls and fractures, as well as driving accidents. Visual impairment has also been linked to a greater risk for depression and an overall poorer quality of life.
What You Can Do. Have an eye exam at least once a year. Even if you have good vision, don’t skip your yearly exam; eye conditions including glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration are less likely to result in significant vision loss if they are detected early.
Make sure your home is adequately lit. Position extra lights where you need more illumination, especially in bathrooms and stairways. Install nightlights to make nighttime trips to the bathroom safer.
Keep your living space clear of clutter and tripping hazards.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
▶ If the expense of an eye exam is a concern and you are 65 or older, contact EyeCare America (877/887-6327; www.aao.org/eyecare-america), an organization that provides free eye exams for qualifying seniors.
▶ If you cannot afford hearing aids, contact the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (800/241-1044; www.nidcd.nih.gov), or the Better Hearing Institute (202/448-1100; www.betterhearing.org) for information about financial assistance.
Hearing
In the study, participants were allowed to wear their hearing aids if they so desired. The data showed that 13 percent of the participants had fair hearing, and five percent had poor hearing, including participants who wore hearing aids.
Hearing loss can impact your ability to avoid potentially dangerous situations. Impaired hearing can also result in social withdrawal and a decrease in activities, and it has also been linked to a greater risk for depression, memory issues, and falls.
What You Can Do. If you have trouble hearing, consult an audiologist, who can evaluate the type and degree of hearing loss and fit you properly for hearing aids.
“People often don’t want to wear hearing aids because they feel stigmatized. Don’t let this be an obstacle. Improved hearing can reduce isolation and measurably improve quality of life,” advises Dr. Siegler. She adds that price is often a barrier to obtaining hearing aids, but notes that personal sound amplification products are under development (some are FDA approved) and may be a more affordable alternative for those with milder forms of hearing loss.
If you get hearing aids, it may take several weeks to get used to them. The more you use them, the more quickly you’ll adjust to the amplified sound. If you find that they don’t improve your hearing, don’t fit well, or are bothersome, return to your doctor for an adjustment. Stick with it until you get something that works well for you.
Taste
The most prevalent sensory deficit in the study was a decrease in the sense of taste, which affected 74 percent of the participants.
A loss of taste can result in a lack of appetite, which can lead to inadequate food intake and malnourishment. Taste also functions as one of your body’s defense mechanisms against ingesting dangerous substances.
What You Can Do. Sometimes, a medical condition or medications can affect your sense of taste; report your loss of taste to your doctor and ask if he or she can identify any possible contributors to the problem.
Instead of adding more salt to foods, add herbs and spices, such as garlic, basil, oregano, rosemary, turmeric, or ground pepper to enhance the flavor of foods.
Smell
About 22 percent of the study participants had a sense of smell that was rated fair or poor.
Loss of smell can result in a waning appetite and a risk of nutritional deficiencies. Foodborne illness is also a danger if an impaired sense of smell doesn’t alert you to the fact that food is spoiled. And, having a poor sense of smell can put you at risk in the event of a fire or
a gas leak.
What You Can Do. Tell your doctor if you think you’re losing your sense of smell—research has associated a decreased sense of smell with a higher risk for neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Your doctor also can consider if medications may be affecting your sense of smell.
In your home, install smoke detectors, as well as alarms for natural and propane gas if you use these products.
Check the use-by dates on food (particularly meat) before consuming it.
Touch
Thirty percent of the study participants had a normal sense of touch, 38 percent were rated as fair, and 32 percent were rated as poor.
Lack of touch sensitivity may place you at risk for burns if you can’t feel that an object (the stove or oven) or liquid (shower or bath water) is hot. You also may find that it’s difficult to carry out tasks that rely on finger manipulation. If you’ve lost sense of touch in your feet, your balance and walking can be affected, and your risk of falls may increase.
What You Can Do. Set your water heater to a maximum of 120°F. Check the temperature of bathwater before you get in the tub—it shouldn’t be any higher than 100°F.
Be alert for cuts and other injuries, particularly on your feet, where you may not see them. Don’t assume an injury is minor just because it doesn’t hurt much—treat it immediately.
Lack of touch sensitivity also may mean you aren’t as aware of changes in air temperature. Don’t rely on feeling too hot or too cold to alert you to the fact you need to shed a layer to avoid overheating or dress more warmly to avoid hypothermia.
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