Longitudinal associations between dual sensory impairment and everyday competence among older adults

Abstract

Given the prevalence of sensory impairment in older adults, the relationship of sensory impairment to everyday competence among older adults is gaining attention. Dual impairment, or concurrent impairments of vision and hearing, affects anywhere from 5% to 21% of older adults. Using Longitudinal Study on Aging data, we examined the longitudinal associations of self-reported dual sensory impairment with everyday competence in self-reported activities of daily living among adults aged 70 and older (N = 5,151). Self-reported dual sensory impairment was associated with higher levels of self-reported functional disability at baseline and at the 2-year follow-up interview, but the effect gradually diminished over time. However, self-reported dual sensory impairment was not associated with greater levels of self-reported disability as compared with self-reported visual impairment alone. Findings highlight the importance of vision and aural rehabilitation programs for older adults to mitigate the loss of competence in later life due to sensory impairment.