It’s a fact of life that our bodies become less efficient with age. Our vision declines. Hearing gets more difficult. And our brains don’t react as quickly as they used to. However, these changes don’t necessarily have to interfere with your quality of life.
“Most of us notice a decline in the capabilities of our sensory organs as we age,” says Jasdeep Sidhu, M.D., a geriatric medicine specialist at Henry Ford Health. “They can affect our communication, nutrition, mobility, social connection and ultimately, our ability to remain independent. Recognizing changes early gives us an opportunity to address them and help older adults continue doing the things that matter to them.”
Breaking Down Sensory Changes
You need a certain amount of stimulation before your brain registers sensations like sound, light or smells, and that threshold level increases with age. The older you get, the more input you need to make sense of your surroundings. You may need more light to see clearly, a louder sound to hear conversation or stronger flavors to fully appreciate a meal.
While some changes are expected with aging, significant or sudden changes should not automatically be considered a normal part of getting older. Many sensory problems can be treated, corrected, or compensated for.
Vision
Aging affects every area of the eye. The cornea becomes more sensitive and prone to injury. The pupil begins to respond more slowly to variations in light and darkness. And the lens can harden, which alters the path of light into your eye. Eye muscles begin to atrophy, too, which impacts your ability to rotate your eyes.
Tools for change: Whether you have trouble seeing near or far, notice floaters in your eyes or have trouble with glare in the evening, regular eye exams can identify treatable conditions such as cataracts, glaucoma and macular degeneration. Eyeglasses, contact lenses, magnifying devices and other treatments can help maintain vision and function as you get older. Plus, evolving technologies such as smartphone applications and smart glasses can provide aid in helping individuals navigate their environment.
How to protect your vision: Wear sunglasses with UV protection and protective eyewear when appropriate. Managing diabetes, high blood pressure, and other chronic conditions is also important for long-term eye health.
Hearing
Aging changes the structures in your ear. You may not be able to pick up sounds as easily and you may experience difficulties maintaining your balance as you sit, stand and walk. In addition to not being able to hear well, many people notice periodic ringing or buzzing, known as tinnitus. Unfortunately, these changes can trigger negative health effects such as isolation, cognitive impairment and depression.
“Hearing loss is more than a communication problem,” Dr. Sidhu says. “When people cannot participate easily in conversations, they may begin withdrawing from activities and social interactions that are important to them.”
Tools for change: Hearing aid and implant technology has advanced dramatically. Now, these devices can do much more than simply make sounds louder. Many can reduce background noise, emphasize speech and adjust automatically to different listening environments.
How to protect your hearing: If you’re in an environment where you have to yell to be heard, you should be wearing ear protection, even if you don’t yet have hearing loss. The degree of hearing damage from noise exposure is based on both the intensity of the noise and the duration of exposure. Also ask your healthcare professional to check for earwax buildup, which can sometimes significantly affect hearing as you age.
Taste and smell
Taste and smell go hand in hand and they both fade as we age. Taste buds decrease in size and number and your sensitivity to each of the five tastes (sweet, salty, sour, bitter and umami) begins to decline. The sense of smell diminishes because there are fewer nerve endings and less mucus in your nasal cavity. Both senses impact our interest in eating and socializing. “If food no longer tastes or smells enjoyable, people may begin eating less or lose interest in sharing meals with other,” Dr. Sidhu says.
Tools for change: While you can’t necessarily stall the natural progression of taste- and smell-related declines, you can spice up your food and make it more tempting. Instead of resorting to sugar and salt, flavor your food with fresh herbs and spices. Temperature makes a difference, too. “Some people find that cold foods taste better than hot foods,” Dr. Sidhu says. If you get a metallic taste when you eat, consider using plastic utensils instead of metal.
Certain medications and medical conditions can also affect your taste and smell. If you notice a significant change, discuss with your healthcare provider rather than assuming it is simply a part of aging.
How to protect taste and smell: Avoid smoking, maintain good oral health and dental hygiene, and review medications with your provider if you develop persistent changes.
Touch
Aging can impact the nerve endings involved in sensing pain, pressure, temperature, vibration and body position. As you age, you may have more difficulty sensing extreme cold or heat. When you finally do sense the pain, your reaction time isn’t as speedy. The end result: Older people are more vulnerable to the cold, burn injuries and pressure ulcers.
Tools for change: Keep your home water heater set at a safe temperature (below 120°F) and regularly check areas where sensation may be reduced.
How to protect your sense of touch: Individuals with diabetes, neuropathy or decreased sensation in their feet should pay particular close attention to foot care and report wounds, numbness or other changes promptly. Besides that, look for ways to support your skin and nerve endings – invest in some nice body lotion, indulge in a monthly massage and stay hydrated.
Your Senses and Safety
Primary Care At Henry Ford
Unfortunately, sensory decline can pose safety concerns. Difficulty seeing can increase the risk of falls. Hearing loss can make communication and social participation harder. Changes in taste and smell can affect appetite and nutrition. Reduced sensation can increase the risk of injury.
Over time, these changes can affect something even more important: independence.
The goal isn't simply to identify sensory loss,” Dr. Sidhu says. “It's to understand how that change is affecting a person's life and what we can do to help them remain safe, connected and independent."
That may mean treating a medical condition, using a hearing aid, improving lighting at home, adjusting medications, introducing assistive technology, or simply finding a different way to accomplish an important activity.
If you notice a sensory change that is new, worsening or beginning to interfere with eating, walking, driving, communicating or other daily activities, talk to your doctor. And don’t skip out on your regular-scheduled wellness visits. These visits involved hearing and visions evaluations as well as medication reviews that can help identify potentially treatable problems sooner.
Reviewed by Dr. Jasdeep Sidhu, a geriatric medicine specialist who sees patients at Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital.
