ABSTRACT
The physical environment, as it relates to the dependencies of older adults, remains one of the most overlooked areas in environ mental design. In order to move beyond this status quo, persons responsible for planning that environment must develop a new un derstanding of ways in which their influence can improve the older adult’s physical and mental functioning. This section deals with age-related changes in vision, hearing, taste, smell, touch and kin esthetic systems, and provides recommendations for environmental adaptation and modifications which may compensate for the changes in each of these systems.
