Windows to their world: the effect of sensory impairments on social engagement and activity time in nursing home residents.

This study examined relationships between three sensory and communication abilities and two areas of nursing home resident behavior. Data from 18,873 nursing home residents include measures of hearing, visual, and communication abilities, and social engagement and time spent in activities. Increasing level of visual impairment is associated with low levels of social engagement and low time in activities. Both moderate and severe hearing impairment are associated with low time in activities, while inadequate communication is associated with limits in both social engagement and time in activities. The combined effects of visual and communications impairments are associated with low social engagement. Increasing attention to sensory and communication losses may lead to improve quality of life in this population.