As people age, many notice their senses dulling over time.
You might find yourself squinting at your phone screen, craving foods with bolder flavors, or struggling to catch parts of conversations.
This isn’t just an inconvenience; researchers at the University of Chicago Medicine are discovering that these sensory changes can actually make mental health worse for older adults.
Dr. Jayant Pinto, an expert in olfactory (smell) issues at UChicago Medicine, explains that losing sensory function can make everyday experiences more challenging.
“When your senses decline, you can’t experience the world as well,” he says in the research paper.
This can lead to difficulties in hearing friends, recognizing what’s happening around you, or even enjoying simple things like a favorite meal or a loved-one’s perfume.
Over time, these challenges can contribute to increased feelings of loneliness and mental health struggles.
Dr. Pinto and his team conducted a study examining how sensory impairments affect older adults.
A Study of the Senses in Senior Age People
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They looked at data from nearly 4,000 people over 10 years and found that those with multiple sensory impairments, such as problems with vision, hearing, and smell, reported poorer mental health.
In particular, those with vision problems were more likely to feel lonely and report worse overall mental health.
When three senses were affected, people were more prone to frequent bouts of depression.
Different sensory impairments can affect mental health in various ways.
Vision loss can make it hard to get out of the house or recognize faces. Hearing loss can make conversations difficult and frustrating.
Even losing the sense of smell can impact enjoyment of familiar scents and affect social interactions.
The study authors that hearing and vision impairments often carry more stigma compared to smell issues, which might be why they seem to have a stronger link to mental health problems.
This observation suggests that societal attitudes could be worsening the mental health of those with sensory impairments.
Any solutions?
To address these challenges, the researchers for this study stress the need for better mental health support and increased awareness of how sensory loss affects emotional well-being.
Doctors and healthcare providers should be aware of the connection between sensory loss and mental health issues and consider screening for mental health conditions when they identify sensory impairments. This could lead to more timely and personalized care.
On a personal level, family and friends can support older adults by being patient and finding ways to communicate more effectively, such as speaking clearly or using written notes.
There are various technologies and medical treatments available to help manage sensory impairments.
For hearing loss, options like cochlear implants and hearing aids can improve quality of life and might even slow cognitive decline.
Vision issues can be addressed with glasses, contact lenses, and surgeries like LASIK.
For smell problems, treatments might include reducing sinus inflammation or smell training exercises.
