Advanced lighting technologies
Advanced lighting technologies enhance resident careResearch by a preeminent technical institute points the way toward more acceptable alternatives
Light, or the lack thereof, plays a role in the quality of care and safety experienced by residents in nursing homes and assisted living facilities, especially during nighttime hours. For example, an overhead light turned on at night during a check on a resident can be glaring and disruptive to sleeping residents. Conversely, a nightly trip to the bathroom can be difficult for residents making their way in the dark, increasing the risk of falls and injuries.New options and advancements in lighting technology, however, are showing promise in applications designed for increased safety and enhanced care in long-term care facilities. A recent study conducted by the Lighting Research Center (LRC) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, showed just how well innovative lighting solutions can work for residents and staff. Mariana Figueiro, PhD, an LRC light and health specialist who has researched lighting designs and treatments for the elderly and those with Alzheimer’s disease, says, “For seniors, we know that as vision deteriorates, it becomes harder for the eyes to adapt to both dark environments and rapid changes in brightness.” These common vision difficulties led Dr. Figueiro and an LRC research team to conduct a pilot lighting demonstration study at Schuyler Ridge Residential Health Care, a 120-resident skilled nursing facility in Clifton Park, New York. (The facility is part of Seton Health, a comprehensive, integrated healthcare system anchored by St. Mary’s Hospital in nearby Troy.) The intent was to identify useful, energy-efficient lighting solutions that could improve the comfort and care of seniors and assist the nursing staff in their nightly rounds.Among the new technologies available, light-emitting diodes, or LEDs, show the most promise for use in unique and custom lighting designs. Unlike traditional incandescent lightbulbs, LEDs are tiny semiconductor chips that emit light in a range of vivid colors. LEDs have been used for decades as indicator lights in electronics and, more recently, in traffic signals, exit signs, and automobile taillights. According to Nadarajah Narendran, PhD, LRC director of research and organizer of the Alliance for Solid-State Illumination Systems and Technologies (ASSIST), the sponsor of the Schuyler Ridge pilot study, recent advancements have improved LEDs’ brightness and efficiency, allowing them to be used for still more lighting purposes. They also operate 40 to 50 times longer than traditional incandescent lamps, increasing their cost-effectiveness over time.In the long-term care facility, Dr. Narendran says, LEDs can offer many advantages for residents and staff, such as more acceptable night-lighting and emergency signaling. LEDs also can be configured to work during a power outage
Light, or the lack thereof, plays a role in the quality of care and safety experienced by residents in nursing homes and assisted living facilities, especially during nighttime hours. For example, an overhead light turned on at night during a check on a resident can be glaring and disruptive to sleeping residents. Conversely, a nightly trip to the bathroom can be difficult for residents making their way in the dark, increasing the risk of falls and injuries.New options and advancements in lighting technology, however, are showing promise in applications designed for increased safety and enhanced care in long-term care facilities. A recent study conducted by the Lighting Research Center (LRC) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, showed just how well innovative lighting solutions can work for residents and staff. Mariana Figueiro, PhD, an LRC light and health specialist who has researched lighting designs and treatments for the elderly and those with Alzheimer’s disease, says, “For seniors, we know that as vision deteriorates, it becomes harder for the eyes to adapt to both dark environments and rapid changes in brightness.” These common vision difficulties led Dr. Figueiro and an LRC research team to conduct a pilot lighting demonstration study at Schuyler Ridge Residential Health Care, a 120-resident skilled nursing facility in Clifton Park, New York. (The facility is part of Seton Health, a comprehensive, integrated healthcare system anchored by St. Mary’s Hospital in nearby Troy.) The intent was to identify useful, energy-efficient lighting solutions that could improve the comfort and care of seniors and assist the nursing staff in their nightly rounds.Among the new technologies available, light-emitting diodes, or LEDs, show the most promise for use in unique and custom lighting designs. Unlike traditional incandescent lightbulbs, LEDs are tiny semiconductor chips that emit light in a range of vivid colors. LEDs have been used for decades as indicator lights in electronics and, more recently, in traffic signals, exit signs, and automobile taillights. According to Nadarajah Narendran, PhD, LRC director of research and organizer of the Alliance for Solid-State Illumination Systems and Technologies (ASSIST), the sponsor of the Schuyler Ridge pilot study, recent advancements have improved LEDs’ brightness and efficiency, allowing them to be used for still more lighting purposes. They also operate 40 to 50 times longer than traditional incandescent lamps, increasing their cost-effectiveness over time.In the long-term care facility, Dr. Narendran says, LEDs can offer many advantages for residents and staff, such as more acceptable night-lighting and emergency signaling. LEDs also can be configured to work during a power outage
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