We all know that people’s bodies change over time, making it one of the few promises of life, but did you know senses change over time as well, and in many ways?
In this blog you will learn how the five senses; Sight, Smell, Taste, Touch, and Hearing; Are affected as we age, and some notes on how to change your environment and routine to maintain your quality of life.
Our Five Senses
Change in Sight:
- An increase in difficulty seeing in low lit settings occurs.
- This is due to the pupil shrinking over time, which allows less light into the eye. According to Magdalena Bednarczyk, MD, a geriatrician at Rush University Medical Center, “By age 60, your pupils may be only one-third of the size they were when you were 20” (Rush University Medical Center News Article).
- Senior’s vision becomes blurrier over time.
- The natural lens found in your eyes becomes less elastic as we age, making it harder for your eyes to focus in and out.
- As we age in general, seniors are prone to other illnesses, diseases and conditions that can affect their eyesight. “Several vision-robbing conditions also disproportionately affect older adults, including cataracts; glaucoma; and diseases that damage the retina, such as age-related macular degeneration — a leading cause of vision loss in people over age 50” (Rush University Medical Center News Article).
- The way we perceive colors can change, i.e. it is harder to distinguish orange from red, or blue to green.
- Make a note:
- Brightening up the room with more lamps in the places you tend to read, and better lighting, even try automatic lights for outside darker spaces.
- Make sure to see your eye doctor regularly, seniors are recommended to have annual appointments; early detection can prevent damage to the eyes long term.
- Aim to do your errands during the day to avoid driving at night, especially on rainy days.
Change in Smell:
- The nerves in our nose change over time and become less sensitive as they deteriorate, therefore changing our strength in smell.
- As we age, our nose tends to create less mucus, which doesn’t always let smells stay in the airways long enough to register.
- Make a note:
- Make sure to have up-to-date fire alarms as it may be harder for you to detect the smell of smoke.
- Instead of lighting a candle, try using a diffuser with essential oils, reducing the need for open flames, but still creating a pleasant scent in your home.
- “Mark Albers, M.D., Ph.D., a neurologist at Massachusetts General Hospital, has found further evidence that change in the sense of smell can serve as an early warning sign for neurodegenerative diseases… The sense of smell is closely linked with memory, possibly more so than any of our other senses, and declining smell sensitivity can foreshadow dementia,” (National Institute on Aging). If you or a loved one have noticed a significant change in smell (not during a cold or flu), check in with your doctor to let them know what’s going on, early detection is key, and it may have something to do with medications you’re currently taking.
Change in Taste:
- “The number of taste buds decreases as you age. Each remaining taste bud also begins to shrink. Sensitivity to the five tastes often declines after age 60. In addition, your mouth produces less saliva as you age. This can cause dry mouth, which can affect your sense of taste,” (MedlinePlus Article).
- Your nose contributes a lot to your sense of taste. So, when your nose cannot pick up the same scent it once did due to weakened nerve endings, your taste will be affected. The two senses coincide together with smelling and tasting foods.
- Make a note:
- Most seniors stick to a low sodium diet, so to maintain this preference, if you’re looking to zest up your meal, try adding spices and herbs to enhance the smell and flavor rather than reaching for salt!
Change in Touch:
- The nerves across your body will also change over time:
- This means pain or any sort of touch will be dulled. This includes sensitivity to temperatures as well.
- Nerve damage can also make it harder for seniors to understand where their body is in relation to the floor, causing increased challenges with balance and steadiness.
- Make a note:
- “Lower the water heater temperature to no higher than 120°F (49°C) to avoid burns” (MedlinePlus Article).
- If you fall or have any sort of injury, be mindful that although the pain isn’t as severe, the injury may be. Check your skin regularly for bruising, cuts, etc.
- Make sure there are secure handrails on all stairs in your home for additional balance assistance, especially if you struggle with neuropathy.
Change in Hearing:
- Like touch, hearing also plays a huge role in balance. As the structures in the ear change over time, your equilibrium can become less stable.
- The other job your ears have is maintaining sound, which tends to be harder as we age due to the decline of the inner ear’s functionality.
- “Age-related hearing loss is called presbycusis. It affects both ears equally. Hearing, particularly the ability to hear high-frequency sounds, may decline. You may also have trouble telling the difference between certain sounds. Or, you may have problems hearing a conversation when there is background noise,” (MedlinePlus Article).
- Make a note:
- When conversing, try to eliminate as much background noise as possible. Present yourself in front of the person speaking and ask them to speak louder in moderation.
- “Most hearing aids today are computer-programmed to match the nuances of each individual’s hearing loss and filter out distracting background noises. If hearing aids are no longer helping, a cochlear implant may be an option,” (Rush University Medical Center News Article).
- Along with routine visits to your primary care or specialist, look into getting your ear wax removed, this can help and is easy to take care of.
- Be careful with the hearing you do have; try to wear earplugs in unusually loud situations and keep your music and television at a steady volume.
The Key Take away:
Overall, although these changes occur, there are still many ways to sustain a good quality of life. Remember, it is always important to seek medical attention if there has been a noticeable change to any of your senses, as we always say, “Better to play it safe!”
At Wentworth Senior Living (WSL) we have many providers that work with our residents and come to our community to meet with them. We know that these changes do occur and affect our population – understanding that routine checks are essential.
We also incorporate sensory based activities for seniors into our daily schedules, so our residents can still enjoy all the great smells, feelings, musical sounds, and delicious tastes during everyday life here at WSL.