Christenson, M. (1990). Adaptations of the physical environment to compensate for sensory changes. Physical and Occupational Therapy in Geriatrics,27 (1-4).

Summary:

• This article discusses ways to adapt the home environment to sensory related changes in older adults such as vision, hearing, taste, smell, touch, and kinesthetic systems
• Without sensory changes to the environment, the elder adult experiences what is termed "sensory deprivation"
• The article discusses the importance of especially adapting environments for those with dementia and other disorders that may compound the aging process
• The article discusses ways to adapt the environment for vision changes such as visual aids, lighting,and color coding
• In addition, there are ways to adapt the environment for vision, tactile, and other common sensory changes that the elderly experience
• It is important to make these changes, according to the article, in order to maximize function in this population of older adults

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