The need for assessment of sensory functioning in ageing people with mental handicap

Within the framework of a study on the ageing process of people with mental handicap in the Netherlands, information about visual and hearing impairments in 1583 people with mental handicap living in group homes or institutions was obtained from their physicians by means of a written questionnaire. Of the people with Down's syndrome (DS) who were older than 50 years of age, 46% had a visual impairment, whereas approximately 13% of subjects with other causes of mental handicap at the same age experienced similar visual impairment. Hearing loss in this age group was reported in 28% of people with DS, but only in 8% of subjects with other causes of mental handicap. The most common eye condition was cataracts, and the most frequent cause of hearing impairment was infection. In people with severe and profound mental handicap of all ages, sensory impairments were more frequent than in persons with mild or moderate mental handicap. Glasses or hearing aids were rarely used by people with severe or profound mental handicap. Assessment of visual and hearing impairments in people with mental handicap seemed clearly indicated, especially in those aged 50 years and older, in those with DS, and in those with severe or profound mental handicap.