This may be a safety problem. Inability to detect escaping gas or smoke. Also inability to smell the food may also have a nutritional impact. Older people appear not to feel pain as much. But this is have to quantify and very subjective.
Older people tend to fall more that young people.
Handrails and personal assitance will ensure saftel of the older patient. This can contribute to the difficulty in maintaining satisfactory oral hygiene care. Consideration demonstrated to the elderly patient reflects favorably on the dental profession and the dental office.