Aging

1
Aging Sensory Function

• Vision
• Hearing
• Balance
• Touch
• Taste, smell

Content for this module provided by The John A.
Hartford Foundation, Institute for Geriatric
Nursing, Online Gerontological Nursing
Certification Review Course http//www.nyu.edu/edu
cation/nursing/hartford.institute/course/
Support for this project provided to School of
Nursing, University of Washington by the John A.
Hartford Foundation, Geriatric Nursing Education
Grant and Nursing School Geriatric Investment
Program Grant.
2
Aging Changes to the Eyes

• Anatomical changes
• ? eyelid elasticity
• (ectropian, entropian)
• Conjunctiva become
• thinner yellow with increased risk of
  infection
• Pingueculae (fat pads under conjunctiva) may
  develop
• Lacrimal gland ducts loose fatty tissue
  quantity of tears decreases

Photo provided by the Administration on Aging at
http//www.aoa.gov/press/multimed/photos/2002/01_
Jan/images_aging/photo_images_aging.asp
3
Aging Changes to the Eyes

• Anatomical changes (continued)
• Eyeballs sit deeper
• in sockets
• Cornea flattens and iris fades
• ? connective tissue may cause sclerosis of
  sphincter muscles
• Pupils become smaller, sclera becomes thick, rigid

Photo provided by the Administration on Aging at
http//www.aoa.gov/press/multimed/photos/2002/01_
Jan/images_aging/photo_images_aging.asp
4
Aging Changes to the Eyes

• Anatomical changes (continued)
• Vitreous humor can degenerate also detach from
  retina
• Cones in retina deteriorate
• Lenses thicken lose transparency, decreasing
  passage of light to retina
• 1 in 3 persons experiences cataracts

5
Aging Changes to the Eyes

• Physiological changes
• Presbyopia (? ability to adjust near/far vision)
• ? visual acuity (especially near vision)
  narrowing of visual field
• Difficulty gazing upward maintaining
  convergence, adapting to lighting changes

6
Aging Changes to the Eyes

• Physiological changes (continued)
• Impairment of color discrimination
• Dullness, dryness of eyes
• Dry, irritated cornea r/t ? tear secretion

7
Aging Changes to the Ears

• Anatomical changes
• Gradual buildup hardening of cerumen in ear
  canal
• Possible atrophy of the organ of Corti the
  auditory nerve
• Thickening of tympanic membrane (ear drum)

8
Aging Changes to the Ears

• Physiological changes
• ? tone discrimination
• Presbycusis difficulty hearing high frequency
  sounds (? hearing acuity)
• ? ability to discern consonants
• ? equilibrium due to vestibular changes

9
Aging Changes to the Ears

• Hearing loss is NOT a
• normal part of aging process
• Hearing loss requires further evaluation for
  proper treatment
• conductive loss
• sensory loss
• mixed

10
Aging Changes to the Ears

• Signs symptoms of hearing loss
• ? volume on television or radio
• Tilting head toward person speaking
• Cupping hand around one ear
• Watching speakers lips
• Speaking loudly
• Not responding when spoken to

11
Aging Changes in Balance

• ? balance - caused by a combination of factors
• ? sensory input
• Slowing of motor responses
• Musculoskeletal limitations
• Increased postural sway

12
Aging Changes in Balance

• Functional changes
• May not present in healthy older adults
• Deprivation in more than one system is likely to
  lower balance threshold (i.e., vision
  proprioception input)
• Challenging conditions lower balance threshold
• climbing up down steps, curbs
• getting in out of bathtub

13
Aging Changes in Taste, Smell

• Alterations in oral mucosa tongue, pathologic
  state of nasal cavity
• ? of cells, damage to cells, ?
  neurotransmitters

14
Aging Changes in Taste, Smell

• Olfactory losses in healthy adults
• normal aging process
• medications
• viral infections, long-term exposure to toxic
  fumes
• head trauma
• Taste losses
• disease states of nervous endocrine systems
• nutritional upper respiratory conditions
• viral infections
• medications

15
Aging Changes in Taste, Smell

• Functional changes
• ? in sensitivity to airborne chemical stimuli
• ? in recognition of odors
• Many foods taste bitter or lack taste - potential
  ? in food intake

? risk for noxious chemicals poisonings (e.g.,
may fail to detect odor of smoke or leaking gas)
? risk for impaired nutritional immune status
16
Aging Changes in Touch

• ? sensitivity to light touch
• ? spacial acuity thresholds
• ? two-point discrimination
• ? tactile vibratory thresholds
• ? warm-cold difference thresholds
• ? risk for injury, especially in affected limbs

17
Aging Changes in Touch

• Common disorders affecting tactile information
• Cerebrovascular accident (CVA)
• Peripheral vascular disease (PVD)
• Diabetic neuropathy

18
Aging Sensory Changes

• Nursing considerations
• Proper screening intervention are critical
• assess impact on ADLs IADLs
• ensure appropriate provision usage of assistive
  devices

19
Aging Sensory Changes

• Nursing considerations
• ? sight hearing can lead to
• ? communication
• depression
• social isolation
• loss of self-esteem
• loss of independence (i.e., cant drive)
• safety concerns