Getting Along in the World

Vision: Perhaps you have noticed that your night vision is less acute, or that the sunlight has grown more glaring. Often by the time a person reaches fifty, they have more difficulty finding suitable light for reading in the evening and the small print on medicine bottles becomes impossible to decipher. Fortunately, these kinds of problems can be easily solved. Appropriate glasses are a good place to start. A magnifying glass can be extremely useful if it is kept close at hand. Finding the right reading lamp is essential, but it also pays to increase the lighting throughout your home. Perhaps it is time to do a bit of home redecorating.

Hearing: Equally troublesome is the gradual loss of hearing. It is estimated that approximately thirty percent of all people over sixty experience such loss. But once again, solutions are available. Telephones can be equipped with amplifiers, TVs with “closed captioning,” and stereos with earphones. Doorbells can be purchased that activate a flashing light, and other hearing assistive technology (HAT) devices are available. Even a pet can help by letting you know that someone is at the door. Hearing aids are more effective than they used to be, but vanity often keeps people from using them. They do have their advantages, though: people tend to speak more clearly when they see someone wearing them. And you can always turn them off if you no longer wish to listen! You may also want to investigate the wide range of Assistive Listening Devices that are now available. Consider getting instruction in speechreading. Find out about telecommunication relay services that can help you continue to use the telephone even if you can't hear well. There are millions of people like you with diminished hearing, so organizations like SHHH have been formed to provide more information about hearing loss and what you can do about it–check it out!

Taste: Perhaps your doctor has advised you to cut back on salt–advice many of us have heard as a way of lowering our blood pressure. While such advice is probably prudent, it is hard to follow. Who doesn't like the taste of salt? But there are a host of spices and herbs available that can transform dishes and make you not even notice the lack of salt. For example, basil, oregano, tarragon, curry, and ginger can enhance the flavor of many different kinds of food. Look for cookbooks that take advantage of these ingredients... and then experiment.

Balance: As people age their muscles grow weaker and they experience a loss of strength due in part to an increasingly sedentary life. Bones, too, become more brittle and are more easily broken. Because of these facts, one of the greatest fears old people have is the fear of falling. It is estimated that one in three people over the age of sixty-five fall each year. If you are living alone, the problems resulting from a fall can be even more serious. Make sure you have a phone available and close at hand in every room of your house. If you have already experienced a fall in your home, then it is time to problem-solve. For example, remove the throw rugs in your house and remove all unnecessary furniture that might get in your way. Make sure electrical cords are out of the way of traffic. Make sure your home is well-lit. Find shoes that are snug on your feet; avoid slippers and shoes with higher-heels. People who spend a great deal of time walking often use walking sticks–they can be quite attractive and very useful in coordinating balance–and there is no reason why you can't do the same. It is also time, perhaps, to literally practice moving more slowly.

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