I have noticed that my sense of feeling is not as good near my cheeks and mouth and I can have crumbs there and not notice! That is why elderly people have food on their face...they don't feel it.

And to make matters worse, while growing old, the young people don't see us, don't feel us, don't hear us, and they don't like to smell us (seriously, how many times do kids not like the way grandma's house smells?). We are going in one direction and they are going in the other and we end up invisible and, at the same time, everything around us diminishes as our receptors decline.

Is it arrogance that makes younger people remain ignorant about the realities of old age or that the elderly did not get a chance to describe these handicaps before? Younger folks will now live longer, if they are lucky, so they had better pay attention to your blog, Ronni. Thanks for leading the way towards a better understanding between the different age groups.

Amen! Whoever said that youth is wasted in the young was obviously old and very, very right.

Ronni,I can relate to this post!
My sleep patterns are maddening. But on the vision problem, you may have cataracts. Your problem sounds like mine, and I am told that I will have to have cat. surgery in the future.

On hearing changes, I noticed, when I was working, how hearing impairments isolated elderly people. My mother who has noticeable hearing loss, has learned to compensate by reading lips. But when the loss becomes so bad it affects me, I am committed to getting some sort of hearing aid. Not being able to hear makes you isolated. You don't hear asides and jokes. I see evidence of this already and I will have a hearing test to evaluate where I am.

Have you considered doing a hearing test?

On the taste/smell issue--I noted that things tasted funny to me when I was taking Lipitor. Anyone else have that experience?

I don't think telling youngers about the physical challenges of aging would do any good for anyone. No one wants to hear a litany of problesm--which would only be perceived as complaints.
Better to be upbeat. We spend so little time with our loved younger friends and family. I do think our positive outlook and interesting lives serve as role models for aging. I know my parents were role models for me in this.

Wonderfully put. Too true but you're light touch is actually humorous.
The taste thing. It's supposed to come with age to some degree. I did hear on the radio that people should not take Zycam (to shorten duration of colds) because it can completely ruin your sense of smell. Then that would affect your tasting ability, too, I should think.

My glasses are the first thing I put on in the morning and the last thing to come off in the evening. Thank goodness for them! I can no longer drive in the evening comfortably unless I know the roads well. I’ve been told that I will need cataract surgery eventually. When did this all happen???
My teeth have never been great. In desperation to hold on to what I do have, I’ve asked the dentist’s permission to eat some of my favorites—nuts, hard pretzels, etc. I went so far as to buy one of my all time childhood delights last summer--a big shiny red candy apple. I held it; licked it a few times, and threw it in the trash.
Now you have me wondering about my taste buds. I’ve noticed my desire to add more salt to what I’m eating (I know it’s not a good thing, but choose to do so anyway), and also a desire to eat more spicy foods. Regular ketchup no longer fits the bill. I’ve switched to Heinz Chili Sauce and just yesterday to Tabasco Spicy Ketchup (Hot ‘N Thick) hmmmm.

Amen!
Cheers,
Warren

My eyes are the issue that bugs me the most. I started wearing bi-focal contacts in 2005, but starting this year have had to wear reading glasses on top of the bifocal contacts to read or work at the computer. Finally decided to see my doctor last month and today will be my third try at fine tuning my contacts so I can read and work at the computer while also being able to drive.

Eyes: I've been slightly near-sighted since I was 8 years old. My mother told me years ago that I would get more far-sighted as I aged. And, sure enough, at age 72 my glasses are becoming progressively lower in strength each year.
Smell: Check for Zinc deficiency.
check www.articlesbase.com for the article on zinc. Here's a brief quote from the article ...
Signs of zinc deficiency:

Symptoms
of zinc deficiency include hair loss, skin eruptions, diarrohea, degradation of body tissues, and, eventually death also.

Since a person’s vision, taste, smell and memory are all connected with proper levels of zinc in the body - a deficiency in zinc causes faulty working of these organs. Deficiency of zinc may lead to poor night vision, falling hair, white spots under fingernails, skin problems, sleep disturbances, reduced wound-healing, decreased appetite, a decrease in the sense of taste and smell, a reduced ability to fight infections, and poor development of reproductive organs.
Also might check the Web at stanford.wellsphere.com
Gas: Try yogurt and pro-biotics like Primal Defense (brand name). Works like magic.

Sometimes it's the little things that can be maddening. My husband, like many older men, can't hear high-pitched sounds well. It would be so sad to not hear the birds and insects singing. He also doesn't notice when the TV is loud enough to entertain our neighbors.

He has lost much of his sense of smell, and so enjoys spicier foods. More salt is not an option.

My senses still are good in my 70s, except for the thing about needing much more light to see. I don't drive at night except on familiar roads.

Most of us do get far-sighted, which in my case was a blessing. Now I can read the road signs way ahead and see everything in the distance clearly. But that means reading glasses for close-up vision. The cheap ones from a discount store work fine for me.

Poor night vision usually is related to age, not cataracts. The eye doctor assures me I don't have them. Hubby has had his removed, but he still can't see at night.

Maybe older men can't hear high-pitched sounds so they don't have to listen to their poor old wives asking them to do a chore. (Just kidding.)

Good post. Thank you.

I'd think twice before writing, "At least I'm not drooling." (2d paragraph under Touch)