Question

Mrs. S has recently been admitted to an assisted living community. At 75 – year-old retired nurse, she is able to function and independently perform most activities of daily living; however, she has experienced some minor injuries as a result of bumping into furniture in her room. Once, she tripped then walking from her dark bedroom to the brightly lighted bathroom during the night. Mrs. S is frustrated and claims she never had this problem in her home.

1. What can be done to prevent vision and hearing losses with aging?
2. Interview and make assessment of an older adult and identify if there will be possible impairment problem regarding sensory.

   INTERVIEW

   • Ask the patient about the date and type of the last ophthalmic and audiometric examinations (e.g., Where was the examination done? Was an ophthalmologist or optometrist seen? Did the eye examination include tonometry? Was a full audiometric evaluation or basic hearing screening done?)
   • If eyeglasses or hearing aids are used, ask questions about where, when, and how these appliances were obtained (e.g., reading glasses purchased from the local pharmacy versus prescription glasses; hearing and obtained via television advertisement).
   • Ask questions such as the following to disclose the presence of sensory problems:
   • “Has there been any change in your vision? Please describe.”
   • “Are your eye glasses as useful to you as they were when you first obtained them?”
   • “Do you experience pain, burning, or itching in the eyes?”
   • “Do you ever see spots floating across your eyes? How often does this happen and how large and numerous are the spots?”
   • “Do you ever see flashes of light or halos?”
   • “Are you eyes ever unusually dry or watery?”
   • “Do you have difficulty with vision at night, in dimly lit areas, or in bright areas?”
   • “Does anyone in your family have glaucoma or other eye problems?”
   • “Have you noticed any change in your ability to hear? Please describe.”
   • “Are certain sounds more difficult for you to hear than others?”
   • “Do you ever experience pain, itching ringing or a sense of fullness in your ears?”
   • “Do you ears accumulate a lot of wax? How do you manage this?”
   • “Is there ever drainage from your ears?”
   • “Is your sense of smell as keen as it was in earlier years? Describe any differences.”
   • Do you have any problems or have you noticed changes in your ability to feel pain, pressure, or different temperature?”

Answer 1

?How can prevent vision loss with ageing

Wear sunglassess that block uv radiation and wide brimmed hat when is in outside.

Quit smoking which will risk for eye diseases.

Eat nutritious diet which support eye health.

Be physically active and maintain a good health.

Reduce high bp, which will lead to eye diseases.

Diabetes should control, that may lead to blindness.

Reduce eye strain at working in computer, for 20 minutes every 20 sec.

?How to prevent hearing loss with ageing

If sudden hearing loss occurs, then consult doctor, for prevent serious hearing problem.

Avoid loud noises and reduce noise exposure.

Wear ear plugs, or special fluid filled ear muffs ( to prevent further damageing of ears).