The Aging Process

Understanding The Physiology

of Aging

The Five Senses

Vision Mid 50s

Hearing Mid 40s
Touch Mid 50s
Taste Mid 60s
Smell Mid 70s

Vision:
Increased illumination
Increased time to focus on an object
Nearsightedness makes small print
difficult to read

Changes in Vision
Normal Changes:
Thickening and
yellowing of the lens
of the eye
Increased sensitivity
to glare
Decreased depth
perception
Difficulty
distinguishing colors

Non-normal
changes:
Cataracts
Significant darkening
and blurred lens
Glaucoma
Macular degeneration
Diabetic retinopathy

Hearing:
Approximately 30% of all
elderly have some hearing loss
Embarrassment or denial is often
associated with hearing impairments
May be lead to being misdiagnosed
as senile or being uncooperative
Hearing is essential for social
interaction
Untreated, is perhaps the most socially
disabling of all sensory impairments

Changes in hearing
Common Changes:
Decreased
sensitivity to high
frequency
Decreased
discrimination of
similar pitches
May be
exacerbated by
background noise

Possible causes
of hearing loss:
Damage to the hearing
organ
Decreased elasticity of
the eardrum
Problems or damage of
the peripheral and
central nervous
systems

Touch:
Touch serves many important
functions:
Forming a sense of self
Relieving stress
Giving comfort
Maintaining intimacy
Conveying acceptance

Older adults typically have less

opportunity to give and receive touch

Changes in skin sensitivity

Common Changes:
Decreased ability to perspire
susceptible to hyperthermia

Increases sensitivity to cold

Skin becomes less sensitive to
sensations including: heat,cold ,and
injury

Taste:
Changes:
The decline in ability
to taste is slow
The number of taste
buds decreases from
245 to 88 by the age
of 70
Sweet and salty
tastes are affected
first

Results of
changes:
Decreased interest in
food
Desire for more salty
or sweet foods
decreased ability to
recognize spoiled
foods

Smell:
Good News! Minimal changes
occur in the sense of smell.
If a decline is noted it is most likely a
resulting from a non-normal condition
blockage or disease of the olfactory
receptors

May cause a reduced awareness of

body odor
environmental hazards

Personality Changes:
Basic personality
traits remain stable
throughout
adulthood
A preoccupation with
ones inner life
greater attention to
feelings
reduced extraversion
decreased interest in
outside world

Men and woman appear

to become more similar
in personality style
Men become more:
nurturing
expressive
affiliation seeking

Woman become more:

instrumental
achievement oriented

How does this affect the Ombudsman?

Sensitivity
Ability to empathize with residents

Advocacy
How this affects our advocacy role

Educator
Increasing awareness of changes to
facility staff