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.
