Psychosocial adaptations to dual sensory loss in middle and late adulthood

Concurrent losses of hearing and vision function, or dual sensory loss, affect a large number of individuals of all ages and particularly older adults. Dual sensory loss may present at any age as a result of genetic defect, accident, injury, disease, or environmental insult; however, most persons develop this condition as a result of age-related disease processes that rarely result in total deafness or blindness. This condition has wide-ranging implications for physical and psychological functioning and quality of life. In this article, we review the prevalence and causes of dual impairment and its effects on functioning for both individuals affected and their families. We examine psychosocial coping and adaptation to this condition using biopsychosocial-spiritual and ecological models and discuss various strategies for coping and adaptation. The impact of larger societal forces on psychosocial adaptation is presented, followed by recommendations for how rehabilitation and other professionals can meet the challenge of dual sensory loss that awaits us with the aging of the population.