Hearing, Vision, and Dual Sensory Impairment in Australian Long-Term Care: Prevalence and Impact

Australia's population is aging rapidly, and adults aged 65 years and older are projected to comprise 23% of the population by 2066.1 Sensory impairment is particularly common among older adults living in long-term care (LTC), with international estimates indicating that up to 90% have hearing impairment (HI)2 and around 50% have vision impairment (VI).3 HIs/VIs negatively affect physical, cognitive, and psychosocial functioning,4,5 and dual sensory impairment (DSI) is associated with even poorer outcomes.