Impact of Dual Sensory Loss on the Older Person
Having an acquired dual sensory loss significantly impacts upon an older individuals mobility, socialisation, independence and quality of life.
Research has demonstrated that there are increased health issues as a result of having a dual sensory loss as follows.
• Older people with a dual sensory impairment generally report considerably poorer health than older people with a hearing impairment and poorer than older people with a vision impairment (Laforge et al., 1992; Crews et al., 2004);
• Functional problems increase, eg. difficulties getting out in the community is increased by 4.7 times compared to the normal older population; difficulties getting out of bed increases by 3.8 times; difficulties cooking increases by 4.7 times and difficulties with the administration of medicine increases by 4 times (Crews et al., 2004);
• People with an acquired dual sensory loss have decreased mobility (affects 48.2% compared to the normal older population of 17.8%), increased amount of falls (37.6% compared to 16.5%), increased hip fractures (7.4% compared to 3.8%), increase in Osteoporosis (16.3% compared to 7.7%), increased incidence of stroke (19.7% compared to 6.4%), increased incident of heart disease (32.6% compared to 16.7%) and increased incident of arthritis (77.3% compared to 53.2%). (Crews et al., 2004);
• A combined vision and hearing loss causes reduced cognitive processes such as memory, and increased states of confusion (Brennen et al., 2006; Tay et al. 2006) as well as causing depression (Capella-McDonall, 2005);
• Mortality rates are increased between 1.6 to more than 3 times (Lam et al., 2006; Appollonio et al., 1995; Laforge et al., 1992).
MORE INFORMATION
For more information contact Angela Wills, Deafblind Consultant
(08) 9473 5479 or lsfs@senses.asn.au
