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Adulthood and Aging MODULE 12 199for her. How could this be so? The answer lies in the physical changes that affect our senses and our health as we age.Our sight, smell, and hearing usually begin to decline significantly after age 70 (Figure 12.1). That decline actually starts in early adulthood, but most people fail to notice the small sensory loss until they are older. Muscle strength and stamina also diminish in late adulthood, and our bodies take longer to heal after injury.So, why did Grandma turn on all the lights? Her 80-year-old corneas and lenses had become less transparent, letting in only about 30 percent of the light that entered my young eyes. To experience the same level of illumination I was experiencing, Grandma needed lights three times brighter.Does your health automatically go downhill as you become advanced in years? The answer is yes and no. Your immune system will weaken as you age, increasing your susceptibility to disease. However, by the time you hit 65, you%u2019ll have built up antibodies to most of the viruses you%u2019ve had, making you less likely to catch a common cold. Vaccines can help you build up antibodies to fight other illnesses, such as pneumonia, shingles, and Covid-19, all of which can become more troublesome as we age.13Aging also slows travel on our neural pathways. Our chromosomes%u2019 protective tips, called telomeres, fray much like the end of a rope as a person gets older, 70%u201379 years 80 years and older100%80604020Visualimpairment0Percentageexperiencingsensory impairmentafter ages 70 and 8016.845.4Hearingimpairment69.3Balanceimpairment24.034.3Loss of feelingin feet11.024.588.5 FIGURE 12.1 Declining SensesSensory impairment increases with age. (Data from Dillon et al., 2010.)LPETTET/E+/Getty Images Drazen Zigic/Shutterstock.comFountain of Youth?Exercise is important throughout the life span to maintain mental and physical health.%u00a9 Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers. For review purposes only. Do not distribute.