Special Lighting Considerations for Senior Citizens

There are some special issues to consider when designing lighting for senior citizens.

You need enough light so that their environment is safe and comfortable. You can meet their unique needs with a combination of track, pendant, and recessed lighting fixtures.

There are certain areas that it is important that the lighting be bright enough, such as stairways, bathrooms, and basements, all places where accidents are more likely to occur. You also need sufficient light in the kitchen so that food preparation is safe and enjoyable. Lighting that works fine for a 25 year old may not be sufficient for someone who is now in their 60s.

Under cabinet lighting in the kitchen is a great source of task lighting. A good energy efficient and low maintenance choice for under cabinet lighting is fluorescent fixtures. One of the benefits of these fixtures is that the bulbs have a long life and changing them is simple.

You want to think about the ease of changing a light bulb when you are choosing fixtures. A type of fixture that makes bulb changes particularly easy is a wall sconce. Using a wall sconce in areas such as stairways provides sufficient light without the need of a ladder to change a bulb.

While this general guide can give you helpful tips, it is important to remember that the needs of each individual will differ. Some situation will require special solutions for that individual. For example you would want to install lower light switches if the person in the home was is a wheelchair. Sometimes your best bet will be to install remote controls for your light fixtures. There are especially helpful in the bedroom as you can turn off lights from the comfort of your bed.

In a bathroom it is a good idea to place a sconce on either side of the vanity to allow for easy bulb changes. When using sconces be sure that you have an open top or bottom and that no parts need to be removed in order to change the bulb. You don’t want to install fixtures that require you to remove a small screw in order to change the light bulb.

A nice safety feature is motion detector lights that turn on automatically when you enter the room or outdoor area. This is great for areas that don’t see frequent use, such as walkways and outside paths. It is also a good idea to install motion detector fixture in the driveway.

It is a good idea to use a compact fluorescent light bulb in fixture where changing the bulb is difficult. Many times these bulbs can last as long as three years. Some good places to put these bulbs include shower stalls, outside light fixtures, and closets. The key is to find low maintenance fixture that provide adequate light.

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