Optimizing quality of life for older persons in long-term care settings to a large
extent involves identifying chronic disabling conditions and implementing measures
to minimize their impact on everyday function. To address these issues, comprehensive
assessment is necessary, followed by application of appropriate supportive and rehabilitative
resources. In theory, this is how long-term care should function, but in reality,
the burden of morbidity, the challenge of competing priorities, and the limitations
of funding streams tend to leave many treatable problems unaddressed. Among these,
perhaps the most ubiquitous and important, in terms of their potential contribution
to quality of life, are impairments in hearing and vision. Each of these sensory deficits
affects more than half of long-term care residents, and each is systematically underdiagnosed
and undertreated, resulting in excess disability, medical and behavioral consequences,
and diminished quality of life. This editorial reviews key issues around hearing and
vision impairment in long-term care settings and provides guidance for policy makers
and practitioners on best practices.
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