Vision and Hearing

Name Instructor
Course
Date
Vision and Hearing
It would be devastating to lose my vision since it would deprive me of my perceptive abilities. The inevitability of that happening diminishes by the fact that old age is a predisposing factor for the condition. Age-related Macular Degeneration has been the diagnosis of most such patients. In my interaction with the elderly, I have noted condition affects an individual’s capabilities to read, live a normal life and the overall mental condition (Wahl 3). However, misdiagnosis and misunderstanding reports mark most of the cases.
Morbidity that accompanies deterioration of the optic nerves includes glaucoma, and retinopathy caused by diabetes. Moreover, when confronted by unfamiliar situations older patient present symptoms such as hesitation, timidity and confusion. They thus end up living lives marked by isolation and mostly express frustration and disappointment. The condition renders the sufferer unable to perform routine tasks that form part of societal roles and the quality of one’s life. Events like reading the newspaper or witnessing facial expressions are thus impossible (Rooth 119). Leisurely activities become scares just as Instrumental Activities Associated with Daily Life (IADL) and ability to be mobile. It is common to have visually impaired elderly patients with cases like hip fractures and mental conditions like depression and deterioration of dementia.
Presences of provisions like sidewalks go a long way in easing the life those undergoing these challenges.

Nurses must also be mindful of the print size on prescriptions for visually impaired elderly patients since it could serve as deterrence to compliance to therapies. An inherent difficulty in preparation of meals means that minding of their nutrition becomes paramount. The patients tend to display strategies geared towards assimilation and accommodation like disengagement from activities with achievable goals like travelling, in pursuit of autonomy (Crews and Campbell 825). It is common for elderly individuals to invest in closer and intimate relationships.
Works Cited
Wahl Hans-Werner. The Psychological Challenge of Late-Life Vision Impairment:
Concepts, Findings, and Practical Implications. Hindawi, Heidelberg. 2013. Print.
Rooth Anderson Meredith. The Prevalence and Impact of Vision and Hearing Loss in the Elderly. NC Medical Journal. North Carolina, 2017. Print.
Crews John and Campbell Vincent. Vision Impairment and Hearing Loss Among Community-Dwelling Older Americans: Implications for Health and Functioning. American Journal of Public Health. Atlanta: Georgia, 2003. Print.