ABSTRACT
A variety of sensory changes have been observed in old age. Probably the most common is presbyopia, or the gradual inability of the lens of the eye to adjust for near focusing. The senses of smell, taste, and touch may diminish in old age for reasons not fully understood. Of all the biological changes associated with growing old, young people are probably most acutely aware of the cosmetic changes. Hair grays, wrinkles become pronounced, shoulders tend to narrow, and the pelvis widens with increasing age. As more people live into old age, chronic diseases have increased as causes of illness and disability, so that there are many more elderly with conditions for which no cure exists. Most chronic diseases can only be managed or controlled, and with increasing age, chronic diseases that develop earlier in life are exacerbated.
