For the elderly, lighting in the home is a very important aspect of fall prevention.
A well-lit apartment not only helps prevent falls, but also improves quality of life.
Let’s take a look at some of the ways in which lighting can be improved for the elderly to reduce the risk of accidents.
A well-lit home to prevent falls
With age, visual acuity inevitably declines, but at a relatively stable rate.
Thus, a person with normal eyesight could lose around a quarter of his or her visual potential before reaching retirement age. To compensate for this loss, home lighting must be adapted accordingly. To even out contrasting areas, even lighting is essential.
Light sensitivity also increases with age, so lighting should not be too bright, but above average.
Diversification of lighting sources
To ensure uniform lighting throughout the home, you’ll need to diversify light sources to keep shadows and half-lights to a minimum.
So it’s not enough to settle for a simple ceiling light. We’ll need to compensate for the lack of light with other light sources placed at mid-height. This is essential to prevent falls. A well-lit apartment minimizes the risk of accidents.
Installing a motion detector can be particularly useful, as it reduces the need to operate the switch and automatically switches on the light.
To allow a certain margin of play, the timer on this device should be set according to the speed of travel.
Keeping seniors independent with good lighting
A well-lit apartment significantly improves an elderly person’s independence and quality of life.
Moving around the room becomes more pleasant, and the senior can return to a much more active lifestyle. The addition of mood lighting revitalizes the environment and once again encourages the use of common areas.
Particular attention must be paid to corridors, where all glare-prone areas must be permanently eliminated. This will ensure maximum safety for frequent travellers in this busy area. A floor light at the foot of the bed is also highly safe.
Finally, it’s worth noting that good lighting has a positive impact on seniors’ biological regulation, and therefore on their stress and anxiety levels, enabling them to regain a certain joie de vivre.
In conclusion, good lighting is essential not only in terms of independence, but above all in preventing falls. It helps to avoid a large number of accidents and makes life more comfortable for the elderly. Once the living space is greatly improved, the positive impact on health becomes clear.
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