Presenters: Morgan Howard ; Jessica Allen
Authors: Morgan Howard, Corinna Tanner, Marinn Smith, Jadison Christenson, Bailey Bay, Kelly Ang, Lisa Ord, Alina Anderson, Jessica Allen, Antonia Cash
Faculty Advisor: Corinna Trujillo Tanner
Institution: Brigham Young University
Purpose: We reviewed the literature surrounding sensory health needs of older adults with vision impairment (VI) residing in long-term care settings. We offer recommendations to enhance nursing care to promote quality of life and optimal health outcomes in this population. Background: VI is prevalent and increasing among older adults. Nine percent of adults age 65 and older experience VI. VI is associated with depression, social isolation, low quality of life, loss of independence, and cognitive decline. Few nurses are aware of the impact of VI on patients who reside in LTC settings. Method:A search for current, peer-reviewed articles was performed using CINAHL Complete, Medline, and The Cochrane Library. Search criteria included older adult, vision impairment, blind, long-term care, skilled nursing facility, and nursing care. Results: VI has a high impact on quality of life and functioning among older residents of LTC. Up to 65% of residents of LTC experience VI. Lack of refractive correction is highly prevalent among nursing home residents and creates or compounds VI. Low vision evaluations are not routinely conducted among residents of LTC. Few nurses have training specifically targeted to accommodating needs of patients with VI. A patient centered approach to care will utilize solutions and techniques to mitigate the impact of VI. Recommendations: Patients should have opportunities to receive eye exams and be assessed for refractive error and eye disease. A patient's remaining vision may be enhanced with lighting, magnification and contrast. Lighting can be customized to individual needs. Magnifying glasses, or increasing size of words can be utilized. Contrast helps patients differentiate between an object and the background. Communication may be enhanced by using verbal cues. Label patients’ personal items. When nursing care includes accommodation of sensory health needs, patient outcomes are optimized.