You likely take them for granted: Your five senses (vision, hearing, smell, taste, and touch) are your gateway to exploring and appreciating the world around you, yet you don’t typically think about them- until it’s too late. And that’s a problem, especially as you get older. New research published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society finds that older adults (age 60+) with self-reported vision and hearing impairments enjoy fewer years of life, and healthy life, than those who do not have such impairments. As the researchers state, “vision and hearing impairments are often perceived as an unfortunate but inconsequential part of aging, and in many cases remain undetected or untreated.” But this research makes clear that ignoring or downplaying such impairments can lead to an (unnecessary) deterioration in the quality- and length- of your life. Given that other market research has found that vision and hearing were the most valued senses as people get older, dismissing their deterioration as inevitable seems foolish- and unnecessary. To find out more about how all your senses change as you age, and what can be done, pull out those reading glasses and take a look here.