Aging and Our Senses

09/23/2010

To do well with Parkinson’s also means to do well with aging. Some of the changes that can occur affect our stamina movement and event our balance.

Some Parkinson’s symptoms can aggravate changes with age such as slowness in movement and thinking, flexed posture, stiffness, joint and muscle and back pain. Understanding how the body changes, what is preventable and what it means to us and our activities with age is important to our health with Parkinson’s. This article is part of a two part series- Aging and Our Senses and Aging and Our Body.

Sensory Our primary senses such as hearing, vision, taste and touch can change with age. These changes can affect our balance and even cognitive abilities. When reading about these changes think about what you can do to improve or prevent their ocurrance.

Hearing Problems with hearing occur in a third of people over 75 years and over half greater than 80 years. Hearing loss can ‘run in families’, be a result of nerve injury from illness, toxins or certain medicines, and long-term exposure to loud noise. As your hearing declines so may your ability to follow a conversation or interest in participating in conversation. Over time it just may seem easier to pay less attention. Talking on the phone may be difficult since we often rely on other cues- such as reading facial expression or lips when we do not hear well. Thinking functions can appear to be worse when you hear only partial or incorrect information. Reduced hearing can lead to frustrations and decreased communication between a couple leading to isolation and loneliness. If you have Parkinson’s disease your speech is soft and if your partner has trouble hearing- this is a double problem.

· Get your hearing checked. Signs your hearing is affected include- turning the TV loader, trouble hearing with background noise, or trouble hearing over the phone. An Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) specialist can evaluate problems with the ear while an Audiometrist can measure the degree to which your hearing is affected and recommend treatments such as hearing aids.

· Keep background noise low.

· Look directly at the person you are speaking t so they can benefit from facial cues.

Vision There are many causes of vision changes with age but most of us experience trouble as we approach middle age with accommodation or near vision, leading to bifocal use. Bifocals may help near vision but may also cause trouble walking for people with Parkinson’s and balance problems. As we age peripheral vision can decline requiring us to turn our head to see. This puts more strain on walking if you have balance problems or neck rigidity. Difficulty with color vision- especially green and blue can become more of a problem with age. This and problems with depth perception can cuase mis-steps increasing the risk of falls.

· Review your medicines with your healthcare provider as some may cause dry eye and blurry vision.

· Get an eye exam yearly or more frequently if recommended to be sure other problems such as glaucoma, cataract, and macular degeneration are not present.

· Consider seeing a Neuropthalmologist if you use bifocals, are experiencing blurry vision, or double vision.

· Be sure your home has the right task lighting for the job.

· Use non-glare light bulbs and use nightlights in dark areas such as bathrooms, stairs and hallways.

· Ask for a physical therapy and/or occupational therapy for walking, balance, visual performance and home safety.

Taste and Smell Decreased smell and taste can be seen especially after the age of 70 years; but in the absence of other problems is usually mild. Loss of smell is often one of the earlier findings in Parkinson’s disease. Combined these problems can lead to loss of appetite, and a decreased pleasure in food. If you have trouble preparing foods due to dexterity problems or eat alone you may be less apt to prepare more enjoyable and favorable foods.

· Use spices to add flavor. Many spices are also powerful antioxidants.

· Add color and texture to diet to make it more interesting. More colorful foods such as fruits and vegetables will also increase antioxidant levels in your diet.

· Share meals with friends and family.

· Ask for a referral to a swallowing specialist if needed.

· See your dentist twice a year or as needed.

Sensation of Touch Decreased sensation to touch can occur over time. Temperature sensitivity is another complaint for many older people. Loss of sweating reflex, circulation problems, change in muscle mass, and activity level can lead to temperature sensitivity. A specific type of sensory loss called peripheral neuropathy causes numbness in the toes or feet. Age and diabetes are common causes. This affects walking and balance since your brain relies on nerve impulses from the feet to control balance.

· Make sure rooms are well lit. If your feet are numb you rely on other senses such as vision for balance.

· See your doctor if you have numbness or tingling.

· Pay close attention to your diet and glucose control if you are diabetic.

· Pay attention to your shoes to avoid pressure ulcers.

· Ask for a physical therapy and/or occupational therapy for walking, balance and home safety.

[See related articles on walking, and balance.]

[See related articles on Aging and Our Body.]

Author: Monique Giroux, MD

Medical Information Disclaimer and Legal Agreement

Please read this agreement entirely and carefully before using the Northwest Parkinson’s Foundation website (nwpf.org).By using www.nwpf.org site, you agree to be bound by the terms and conditions below and in the www.nwpf.org Privacy Policy.

Disclaimer About Medical Information:
The information and reference materials contained here are intended solely for the general information of the reader. It is not to be used for treatment purposes, but rather for discussion with the patient's own physician. The information presented here is not intended to diagnose health problems or to take the place of professional medical care. The information contained herein is neither intended to dictate what constitutes reasonable, appropriate or best care for any given health issue, nor is it intended to be used as a substitute for the independent judgment of a physician for any given health issue. All content, including text, graphics, images and information, contained on or available through this web site is for general information purposes only. The major limitation of informational resources like www.nwpf.org is the inability to take into account the unique circumstances that define the health issues of the patient. If you have persistent health problems or if you have further questions, please consult your health care provider. All visitors to this and other www.nwpf.org associated web sites agree to read and abide by the complete terms of this agreement.

Legal Disclaimers

Summary:
 * www.nwpf.org web site does not constitute an attempt to practice medicine.
 * The use of the site does not establish a doctor-patient relationship.
 * Individuals should consult a qualified health care provider for medical advice and answers to personal health questions.
 * While the site attempts to be as accurate as possible, it should not be relied upon as being comprehensive or error-free.
 * www.nwpf.org is under constant development and changes may be made in the articles and programs at any time.
 * The web site reserves the right to change its disclaimer or privacy policy, so users should review these periodically.

No Medical Advice.
The information posted here by www.nwpf.org is not to be considered medical advice and is not intended to replace consultation with a qualified medical professional. We may answer and post medical questions solely on our own discretion. We do not have the resources or the capability to answer all visitor questions. In general, the questions we choose to answer are (in our opinion) of value to other readers. The answers to these questions should in no way be considered specific medical advice or a plan for disease management. Our goal is to provide sufficient information so that www.nwpf.org visitors are able to become knowledgeable participants in their disease management plan. The primary responsibility of your disease management plan is with your treating physicians and you should only follow your treating physicians advice. DO NOT change/modify your disease management plan on your own without consulting your treating physicians.

No Warranties.
This web site is provided on an "as is," "as available" basis without warranties of any kind, express or implied, including, but not limited to, those of TITLE, MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE or NON-INFRINGEMENT or any warranty as to accuracy, timeliness, completeness or arising from a course of dealing, usage, or trade practice. No oral advice or written information provided by the www.nwpf.org shall create a warranty; nor shall members or visitors to the site rely on any such information or advice.

Disclaimer of Liability.
The user assumes all responsibility and risk for the use of this web site. Under no circumstances shall www.nwpf.org or its contributors/employees or its affiliated organizations such as the University of Illinois at Chicago or its employees or anyone else involved in creating or maintaining this web site be liable for any DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL or CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, or LOST PROFITS that result directly or indirectly from the use or inability to use the web site and/or any other web sites which are linked to this site - or that result directly or indirectly from mistakes, omissions, interruptions, deletion of files, viruses, errors, defects, or any failure of performance, communications failure, theft, destruction or unauthorized access.

In states which do not allow some or all of the above limitations of liability, liability shall be limited to the greatest extent allowed by law.

Online Conduct.
Visitors agree to use the web site only for lawful purposes and are prohibited from posting on the web site any unlawful, harmful, threatening, abusive, harassing, defamatory or obscene material of any kind, including, but not limited to, any material which encourages conduct that would constitute a criminal offense, give rise to civil liability or otherwise violate any applicable local, state, national or international law. This applies to any posting that could be termed as Sexual Harassment and or Discrimination. Although in the absence of a specific complaint the postings are not monitored for compliance with this provision, in an effort to discourage such conduct, please note that all postings in the Comments area will list the author's name--no anonymous postings are permitted!

Disclaimer of Endorsement.
Reference to any products, services, hypertext link to the third parties or other information by trade name, trademark, supplier or otherwise does not constitute or imply its endorsement, sponsorship or recommendation by www.nwpf.org or its contributors/employees. They are for convenience only.

Link Disclaimer.
Links are provided only as an informational resource. Please note that many of the links provided are not on our servers and are not maintained by us or affiliated with any services provided by us. These links are provided simply as a service, and it should not be implied that we recommend, endorse or approve of any of the content at the linked site(s), nor are we responsible for their availability, accuracy or content.

Have a nice day.