Lighting in our homes can have
a profound effect on the quality of our life. Proper illumination
may compensate for many age-related changes in the visual system.
A sixty-year-old needs ten times as much light as a normal
twenty-year-old to perform the same seeing task with equal speed and
accuracy.
Lighting makes a significant
contribution to our physical and psychological functioning. Better
lighting can help increase personal independence, promote health and
well-being, and prevent injuries.
In general, we should attempt
to provide higher levels of illumination throughout the entire
house. This includes not just the major spaces, but ancillary areas
including hallways, stairs, closets. Every area should have general
illumination in addition to task lighting. Daylighting and dimmable
fluorescent are good indirect ambient light sources. An ambient
lightlevel 2 to 3 times “normal” is considered appropriate, with
additional carefully designed task and accent lighting.
As we age, patterns of activity
change. The visual tasks associated with a normal life (i.e.
matching clothing colors, grooming and getting up in the middle of
the night to read or use the bathroom) all need to be considered in
the lighting design. Kitchens and bathrooms particularly need better
lighting because work there is detailed. Reading small print on a
medicine bottle in the middle of the night is standard and not being
able to do this is potentially hazardous.
Accent lighting adds visual
interest and becomes important for orientation and safety. As we
age, it becomes more critical to clearly define hallways, stairs,
and potential changes in surfaces or levels. Proper lighting can do
this effectively.
Lighting design must balance
between creating visual interest and visual disruption. This is
particularly critical with older eyes that find blurred vision or
changes in contrast unsettling. Scallop lighting effects on hallway
walls or alternating high and low illumination levels within a space
create a visual distraction. Shiny floors provide another source of
glare and the resulting light patterns can be disorienting. It is
also helpful to visually define where the wall meets the floor and
avoid shadows which effect detail perception a higher ambient light
level is helpful in creating pleasantly lit areas.
Outside light
can be up to 1000 times brighter than the interior. Excessive
differences in lighting levels should be avoided in transition areas
between driveways, garages, entries, lobbies and corridors. Doors
should be clearly delineated and pathways well illuminated. Older
eyes adapt more slowly to changes in the light levels between rooms
so having a more even distribution of light makes navigation
easier.
As eyes age, they loose their
ability to distinguish color, particularly in the short wave lengths
(blue, violet). Traditional incandescent
lights add to this problem since they emphasize yellow and red. This
effect is even stronger when dimming the fixtures because the
filament burns at a lower temperature. Sources with increased low
wavelength illumination like halogen and cooler fluorescent lamps
can help to compensate for this loss. In addition, these sources
tend to affect the eye’s pupil size and brightness perception in a
positive way
Living
with effective light is a combination of designing good lighting and
using it correctly. The primary consideration is the location and
selection of lighting fixtures and controls. Fixtures should be
carefully selected for their light quality. Bare bulbs fixtures
should be avoided because they cause glare spots to which the older
eye is painfully sensitive. Task light should be selected to provide
adequate light for the task and to be adjustable in location,
direction and intensity for individual needs. In both cases, high
illumination per fixture does not add to the quality of light, in
fact often the opposite is the rule. More fixtures with lower
wattage create a more comfortable environment.
Controls are essential for the
lighting systems to perform adequately. Controls for turning on and
off lighting can include basic switches, dimmers, automatic sensor
switches and scene controls. Although we want to consciously control
our environment, we must consider whether it is appropriate to hunt
for a light switch where issues of safety are involved. Motion
sensors can turn lights on as we pass through an area. This is
particularly effective in hallways, stairs or in areas where hazards
must be avoided. Timing lights to switch on or off can be an
effective way to insure adequate ambient lighting as the daylight
changes. A group of light switches may be controlled together
providing scenes that balance light from many sources by simply
pushing one switch. Switches can be located to control groups of
lights for convenience, effect and safety. A single switch located
at your bed can turn on a night light pathway to the bathroom or
kitchen. Lighting can be incorporated into the security system so
adequate light is turned on to safely mark an exit path in case of
emergency.
Some general rules to consider
-
As we age,
quality lighting becomes more important than ever
-
Since we
spend more time in our home, lighting through the day should be
a normal consideration
-
Ambient
lighting should be available at sufficient levels to positively
effect us physically and psychologically
-
General
lighting levels should be significantly higher than is normal
practice
-
Task
lighting must be carefully arranged to illuminate the task while
avoiding glare
-
Accent
lighting should be used to provide interest and information and
avoid visual noise
-
Daylighting is the most significant element in lighting a home.
It must be filtered to prevent glare and sharp contrasts from
area to area.
-
Lighting
should have controls that are is easy to use.
