A groundbreaking study by researchers at UChicago Medicine has illuminated the significant connections between sensory decline and mental health in older adults. The findings underscore the need for increased awareness and support in addressing these challenges.
As people age, the dulling of senses such as vision, hearing and smell becomes common — with up to 94% of U.S. adults experiencing some degree of sensory decline. Researchers at the University of Chicago Medicine have discovered that these sensory impairments go beyond mere inconveniences. They can significantly worsen mental health in older adults.
“When your senses decline, you can’t experience the world as well,” Jayant Pinto, a professor of surgery and medicine and an expert in olfactory dysfunction at UChicago Medicine, said in a news release. “You can’t hear colleagues or friends at the dinner table; you can’t discern what’s going on in your environment; you may have a hard time reading or making things out when you’re in your neighborhood. It makes all your cognitive burdens a little harder, and that probably wears you down over time and causes mental health problems.”
Pinto, along with Alexander Wang, a medical student at the UChicago Pritzker School of Medicine, conducted a study examining the impact of sensory impairments on the mental health of older adults.
They found that sensory disabilities are closely linked with poor mental health and different types of sensory disability were associated with various aspects of mental health issues.
The Study
The researchers analyzed data on sensory function — specifically vision, hearing and sense of smell — and self-reported mental health from nearly 4,000 older adults over a decade. This data was collected as a part of the National Social Life, Health & Aging Project.
They discovered that individuals with multiple sensory impairments experienced heightened feelings of loneliness and significantly worse self-reported mental health. Notably, vision impairment was most strongly associated with loneliness and poor self-rated mental health, and those with three sensory disabilities were more likely to suffer from frequent depressive episodes.
“We saw that hearing and vision disability tended to be associated with lower self-rated mental health and feelings of loneliness, but olfactory disability had a weaker association,” Wang said in the news release. “This stood out to me because hearing and vision disabilities tend to be much more stigmatized than olfactory disability. This made me reflect on the ways in which social stigma may be driving this worse mental health.”
Older adults struggling with vision impairment might find it difficult to leave the house or recognize the faces of loved ones, while hearing loss can make conversations laborious and frustrating. Even a diminished sense of smell can dampen the joy derived from familiar scents, such as home-cooked meals or a loved one’s perfume.
Care and Support
The study highlights the importance of addressing these sensory impairments to improve mental health. By understanding the impact of these sensory declines, health care providers can better screen for mental health conditions and offer more personalized, timely interventions.
“We have an aging society; everybody has a relative who’s getting older and having a harder time in life. It’s a burden for us all to share,” Pinto added. “Lessening the burdens of your aging relatives and friends can have a huge impact on people’s lives, their productivity and their quality of life.”
Family members can support their aging loved ones by being patient and finding effective communication methods, like speaking clearly or using written notes. On a larger scale, public policies and community programs should ensure accessibility in public spaces and provide resources to improve quality of life for those with sensory impairments.
Pinto also pointed out that various technologies and medical interventions are available to help with sensory loss, from hearing aids and cochlear implants to glasses and LASIK surgery. Additionally, health experts can offer treatments and exercises to assist with sensory impairments, potentially improving both mental health and quality of life.