A common experience for most adults is the decline of their senses as they age. But what is the impact of these changes on mental health? A research team at the University of Chicago investigated and found that people with sensory disabilities have poorer mental health and that different sensory conditions affect distinct areas of mental health.
"When your senses decline, you can't experience the world as well. 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." —Jayant Pinto, MD, UChicago Medicine.
Why it matters
The study found that people who had multiple senses weakened had more loneliness and worse self-reported mental health.
A closer look
The researchers analyzed data on vision, hearing, and sense of smell and self-reported mental health from nearly 4,000 older adults. The data were collected over ten years as part of the National Social Life, Health & Aging Project.
The results
- People with multi-sensory impairment experienced more loneliness and significantly worse self-reported mental health overall.
- People with three sensory disabilities were more likely to experience frequent depressive episodes.
- Vision impairment was most strongly linked to loneliness and poor self-rated mental health.
The challenge
The team says their results point out the value of improving access to mental-health services and increasing awareness of sensory loss and mental distress.
Notable: The researchers used the word "disability" throughout their paper to highlight the significance of sensory loss in people's lives and help reduce negative views of sensory loss.
"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. 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." Dr. Jayant Pinto
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