Making Sense of Sensory Losses as We Age —

Our Senses and the Aging Process 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 defi ned 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. Physical changes associated with aging, beyond gray hair and wrinkles, are not always visually noticeable, are constantly changing and can affect us in many ways. Imagine not being able to see a beautiful sunset, hear your grandchildren playing or smell your favorite fl owers. These losses affect people in different ways. The impact of these losses can lead to social isolation, loneliness and feelings of depression. Understanding Sensory Loss Sensory changes do not occur at the same age for each person, nor do all changes occur for everyone or to the same degree. An awareness of different sensory changes and their effects can be helpful. Studies have shown changes accelerate at these approximate age ranges: ■ Vision — mid-50s ■ Hearing — mid-40