As more older Americans are looking to assisted living at their homes rather than residential care, it has become even more important to understand the lighting needs of the aging eye.
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, almost 79 percent of individuals who require long-term care live in communities or their own homes rather than institutions. Many have been living in the same place a long time, and they are not willing to give up the years of memories living in their house. Independence is a goal that many aging Americans want to attain, both in regard to their living situation and the tasks they take on throughout their day.
While at-home care options can help these older individuals remain independent, assisted living does not provide round-the-clock care. Typically, these Americans are spending more time without home health care aides.
The National Institute on Aging reported that housing updates are one of the main considerations for aging individuals who want to stay in their homes and receive at-home care rather than moving into a residential care facility. Many of these individuals are willing to make renovations to their homes to accommodate their changing needs, including the installation of grab bars in the tub or shower, nonskid floors and lower light switches.
Where lighting enters the picture
In addition to thinking about new hardware installations, aging Americans have to consider whether the table or floor reading lamps in their home can provide enough light for their tasks. Whether it be reading, cooking or walking to the bathroom in the darker hours of the day, having adequate light is a necessity, especially given that aging eyes require brighter, low-glare illumination.
The quality of light in a home can have implications that exceed the ability to read a novel in the evening. Falls are a serious problem for aging adults, as they can lead to more serious injuries. Poor lighting can be a contributing factor to falls if left unaddressed.
Why lighting considerations are important
While living in a residential care facility does not necessary guarantee more comfortable long-term care, it can provide additional amenities compared to residing in a community or receiving at-home care. For this reason, it is necessary that a home is made suitable for such accommodations.
Residential care facilities are built around the needs of aging individuals, whereas a normal home is less likely to be constructed with similar challenges in mind. Getting a house up to par with those facilities’ measures – from big changes like a wheelchair ramp to small changes like buying better reading lamps – is a necessity.
Tips for optimizing your home for at-home care
With a few changes around your house, you can update your lighting scheme to fit your visual needs and make it a safe environment. Here are a few low-impact ways that you can upgrade to adequate illumination in your home:
- Invest in shaded lamps. If you use floor or table reading lamps, consider purchasing new ones that are shaded to lower your exposure to glare. In addition to protecting your eyes, lamps can add to your home’s decor. Microsun offers a number of high-quality lamps in a variety of finishes to match the style of your house.
- Consider dimming controls as well so that you can adjust the brightness in certain rooms to appropriate levels for the task at hand.
- Add more light to rooms where you often complete tasks such as reading and cooking.
Keep in mind that these are not solely considerations for when you are faced with the immediate need for long-term care. Once you start to notice your vision changing as a result of aging, you should start to tailor your home lighting to your new visual demands.