The Aging Senses Flashcards
Universal age related physical changes -4
Cornea thickens, lens thickens yellows and becomes less elastic, pupil size decreases, vitreous fluids become cloudy
The Sensory System -5
Vision, hearing, smell, touch, taste
Age-associated visual changes
Decreased: light sensitivity (cloudy vitreous fluid), ability to adjust from light to darkness, ability to focus on near objects (presbyopia)
Impaired night vision (smaller pupil size)
Inc glare sensitivity (cornea thickens)
Farsightedness
Presbyopia
Lens can't focus on near objects Affects mostly older people Starts as early as age 40 Correctable by glasses Bifocals vs progressive lenses
Cataracts
Looking through a waterfall
Leading reversible cause of blindness
Worldwide primary cause of blindness
Cloudy lens
Treatment: surgery, remove lens
Glaucoma
Tunnel vision
Leading cause of irreversible blindness in older ppl
Inc pressure
Treatment: medication to eliminate fluid buildup
Macular degeneration
Loss of central vision
Dry and wet forms
Recently reversible
Aging and hearing loss
Statistic and causes
1/3 of 65+ have hearing loss
Usual aging/presbycusis
Noise
Disease
Medication
Presbycusis
Definition
Leading cause of hearing loss in older people
Loss of high-pitched sounds, hard to screen out background noise
Men at greater risk
Presbycusis
Impact-4
Hearing loss not perceived/acknowledged
Withdrawal, depression, paranoid feelings
Decreased social activities
Others withdraw from hearing-impaired
Hearing aids underused, 4
Hearing not restored 100%
May be uncomfortable
Expensive
Many fear hearing aids stigmatize them
Communicating with hearing-impaired
Speak loudly, face the person, eye contact
Avoid noisy areas, get close to the person
Give visual cues
Assistive devices
Anosmia
Inability to perceive odor or a lack of functioning olfaction
Eating more difficult with age, can affect health -5
Dental issues, dry mouth
Less muscle tone in pharynx, difficulty swallowing
Constipation, side effect of mess
Decreased mobility, hard to buy and cook food
Older people eat more narrow range of foods
Touch and aging-3
Decrease in touch receptors
Decrease in pressure receptors
Decrease to manipulate small objects
