Nearly all U.S. adults, a staggering 94%, experience some degree of sensory decline as they age. Whether it’s struggling to read fine print, seeking out spicier foods, or missing key points in conversations, these subtle changes can significantly impact daily life. Researchers at the University of Chicago Medicine are investigating how these sensory losses can extend beyond simple annoyances, potentially leading to a decline in mental well-being among older individuals.
“When your senses decline, you can’t experience the world as well,” said Jayant Pinto, MD, a physician and expert in olfactory dysfunction at UChicago Medicine. “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.”
Along with Alexander Wang, a medical student at the UChicago Pritzker School of Medicine, Pinto recently led a study examining the prevalence and impact of sensory impairments among older adults. They found that people with sensory disabilities tend to have worse mental health, and that different types of sensory disability were associated with different aspects of mental health.
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The UChicago researchers analyzed data on sensory function (vision, hearing and sense of smell) and self-reported mental health from nearly 4,000 older adults, collected over 10 years of follow-up as part of the National Social Life, Health & Aging Project. They found that people who had multiple senses impaired experienced more loneliness and had significantly worse self-reported mental health overall, and people with three sensory disabilities were more likely to experience frequent depressive episodes. In analyses that differentiated between the senses, vision impairment was most strongly associated with both loneliness and poor self-rated mental health.
Scientists are still exploring how changes in all five senses can impact people, but the UChicago researchers can already point to many ways sensory decline contributes directly to feelings of loneliness, sadness and boredom.
For older adults with vision impairment, simple tasks like leaving the house or recognizing loved ones can become a challenge. Hearing loss can make conversations feel strained and frustrating, while a diminished sense of smell can rob individuals of the pleasure of familiar scents, from a favorite meal to the comforting aroma of a loved one. Even subtler changes, such as a decreased ability to perceive pheromones, can impact social interactions, though these effects may not be consciously noticed.
