April 27, 2009

Making Sense of Sensory Losses as We Age —

          Imagine not being able to see a beautiful sunset, hear your grandchildren playing or smell your favorite flowers. These losses affect people in different ways. The impact of these losses can lead to social isolation, loneliness and feelings of depression.

          Dena Kemmet, and Sean Brotherson, with the NDSU Extension Service remind us that the process of aging begins at birth and continues throughout life. Change is an inevitable part of the aging process. Sensation is the physical and mental process that allows us to receive information from our surrounding environment through the ears, skin, tongue, nostrils, eyes and other specialized sense organs. Key sensing processes include vision, hearing, touch, taste and smell.

          Sensory loss is defined as a decreased ability to respond to stimuli that affect our senses (hearing, touch, etc.). For example, vision loss might mean that we cannot see a person across the street wave at us, or hearing loss might result in us struggling to hear people speaking in a certain tone of voice. Sensory loss is inevitable, but that does not mean adults who are losing one or more of their senses have no options available to them.

          Sensory changes do not occur at the same age for each person, nor do all changes occur for everyone or to the same degree. Studies have shown changes accelerate at these approximate age ranges:

Vision — mid-50s

Hearing — mid-40s

Touch — mid-50s

Taste — mid-60s

Smell — mid-70s

          . Sensory loss seems to be an almost inevitable companion to growing old. Does that mean older adults who are losing one or more of their senses are simply out of luck? Not at all. Cures may not be available for the major causes of age-related sensory loss, but armed with the right knowledge about which age-related sensory losses are normal and which are not, we can better understand what to do about them.

          Understanding sensory loss can help individuals adapt and accept these natural changes. Equally important is not accepting a change as a normal part of aging without first understanding the loss.

          Let’s look more closely at the loss of smell and taste.  Many people are not aware that an individual’s sense of smell and his or her sense of taste are closely related. Sensory losses in taste and smell can lead to other health concerns for aging individuals. At age 30, a person has 245 taste buds on each of the tiny elevations (called papilla) on the tongue. By age 70, the number of taste buds decreases to approximately 88.

          The sense of taste changes slowly. Sweet and salty tastes seem to be the first affected. For older people, normal seasoning may seem bland. Use of herbs instead of salt may be one answer to increasing the flavor of foods without increasing sodium content, especially for older adults who have high blood pressure.

          The lack of taste appeal may discourage the older adult from eating, which may indirectly lead to poor nutrition. One way to compensate for the loss of taste sometimes seen with illness and aging is to concentrate on contrasts in texture, temperature and flavor in preparing foods. Smell also makes things enjoyable. Our “odor memories” frequently have strong emotional qualities and are associated with the good or bad experiences in which they occurred.

          Also, when eating a favorite food, the taste is much more flavorful when a person is feeling healthy, as opposed to being congested. Humans can recognize as many as 10,000 different scents, compared with the sense of taste, which is limited to four basic categories: sweet, salty, sour, and bitter. The sense of smell is very important, but often taken for granted.

          The sense of smell is not only important to taste, but it is also essential for detecting signs of danger, such as smoke, gas leaks and spoiled food. A person living with the loss of smell needs to take extra safety precautions. Smoke detectors are a necessity in all areas of the home, especially in the kitchen and near fireplaces. The sense of smell is equally important for identifying spoiled food. Because smell plays an important role in sense related to food quality, safety precautions in handling food are important for older adults. This particularly includes proper storage of food, refrigeration and one of my favorite topics - food safety.

          Although genetics is known to influence longevity and optimal aging, research suggests that good lifestyle choices, including regular exercise, diet and nutrition, have a significant impact on how well individuals age. The challenges of life do not become easier as one ages.  However, individuals who are prepared and informed can cope successfully with these life changes.

          Changing your lifestyle can help reduce the potential for sensory losses that commonly affect the aging. Gain power over your health by managing your lifestyle. Enjoy the benefits of increased activity and good nutrition, and delight in a longer, healthier life span.  Being optimistic, coping with a sensory loss and maintaining social contact can contribute to an improved quality of life.