The effects of aging and how they alter care

Geriatrics, which is still a young medical specialty, is only just beginning to discover how the elderly react to illness and treatment. One of the discoveries is that the elderly do not always respond or show symptoms in the same way as a younger patient. Some basic understanding of the effects of aging on a person can lead to useful strategies in meeting the elderly's needs. A lack of understanding about changes in the elderly's sense organs probably causes the most frustration in the relationship between the elderly patient and the care provider. The ability to see diminishes in approximately 20 percent of the elderly. Approximately one third experience a hearing loss. The elderly have a decreased number of taste buds, especially those affecting sweet and salty tastes. Their ability to perceive pain, pressure, and temperature may decrease as well. The healthcare professional should be aware of the difference in the geriatric data base from that at other life stages and should look for clues that the elderly patient is suffering from diminished senses.