Approximately 4.2 million people over the age of 65 live alone and more than 1 in 4 may have an impaired sense of smell and not being able to smell dangers such as gas, smoke, or spoiled food.
Alongside the safety risks, smell loss can impact people’s enjoyment of eating and diet and nutrition. People can feel isolated from the pleasures of life that smell brings. People don’t always realise they have a poor sense of smell, particularly if it deteriorates gradually over time.
Fifth Sense, the charity for people affected by smell and taste disorders, provides support and a range of information resources. They also deliver training for professionals, organisations and the public to help them better understand the impact of these under-recognised sensory impairments.
Some safety advice from Fifth Sense:
- Sign up to the Priority Services Register at www.thepsr.co.uk. This is a free service to support those who may be vulnerable to the potential dangers of gas.
- Get natural gas detectors fitted alongside smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and know what to do in the event of a gas escape
- Get gas appliances serviced regularly.
For more information about Fifth Sense, visit their website at www.fifthsense.org.uk
If you would like to discuss the support Fifth Sense can offer you and/or your teams, email helen.rhodes@fifthsense.org.uk
