Changes To Smell And Taste With Age

The body undergoes many changes with age, including changes to your senses. Most older adults expect changes to their sight and hearing, but your taste and smell can also alter with age.

According to the National Institutes of Health, about 10 percent of adults experience a decrease in the ability to taste foods after age 40, and about 23 percent of older adults experience noticeable changes in their ability to smell.

What Causes Smell And Taste Changes?

It’s common to experience changes in smell and taste with age. As you age, you may notice a lessening sense of smell. Things don’t smell as potent or may even have a slightly different smell than you remember. Because the sense of taste and smell are related, changes in your sense of smell can affect how you taste things.

Not all smell and taste changes are permanent. Sometimes, having a cold, allergies, or a sinus infection can temporarily affect your smell and taste. Some people also develop polyps on the nose or sinuses that can block airflow through the nose. Polyps are harmless and easily removable with surgery.

Navigating Smell And Taste Changes

Changes to your smell and taste can affect daily life experiences, but they don’t have to affect the quality of life you lead. Consider these tips to navigate your new senses.

• Use more spices in food. If you’re having trouble tasting your food or certain foods no longer have the same pleasing taste, consider mixing up your spices. Try different flavor profiles and experiment with the spice quantity to give your food a more exciting taste. While most herbs and spices are safe to consume, be careful about how much salt you use, as it can raise blood pressure.
• Try different food textures. If you make a meal and everything has the same texture, it can be difficult to taste the differences between your foods. Mix the textures on your plates to help signal to your brain when you're eating something different. Think crunchy, creamy, sticky, juicy, and watery.
• Stay hydrated. Your hydration levels can affect the taste of your foods. The more hydrated you are, the more flavors will come through in your foods.
• Review your medications. Some medications can affect senses such as smell and taste. Talk to your doctor about medication side effects to see if anything you take affects your smell and taste.

Navigating Age-Related Changes With Visiting Angels

Many changes come with age, some of which may be challenging to navigate and manage alone. At Visiting Angels, we’re dedicated to assisting seniors throughout our community to age safely in place. Whether that means monitoring clients for hydration, assisting with whipping up tasty meals, or lightly tidying around the house while providing a friendly visit, our caregivers are there for the support seniors need.

Contact our Portage office to learn more about at-home caregiving services with Visiting Angels.