Let there be light

The lighting industry has coined the term ‘human-centred lighting’ to describe lighting systems that reflect the day-night cycle: bright ‘cool’ days, ‘campfire glow’ evenings and dark, peaceful nights. This logical approach builds on NASA’s billion-dollar investment in lighting systems to help astronauts on the space station get a good night’s sleep.

There is exciting evidence that this principle can effectively transform the quality of sleep for older adults in longterm residential care too. Studies from around the world consistently show a significant reduction in falls due to night-time wandering and reduced ‘sundowning’ agitation. Evidence also points to reduced medication and night-time staffing levels, improved working conditions and a more relaxed environment for loved ones to visit.

A growing number of care homes are adopting this approach and seeing the benefits. In the UK, Ed Russell, chief executive of WCS Care in Warwickshire, noted significant improvement in mood, almost complete elimination of sundowning and increased resilience during the Covid-19 pandemic. Kim Crowe, chief executive of the Parkhaven Trust in Liverpool, was able to focus care teams on daytime activities. Michelle Borreson, administrator at the Tweeten Care Centre in Minnesota in the US tracked a 62% reduction in energy use and a significant cut in maintenance costs. She was delighted to see a 30% reduction in falls and a 10% cut in antianxiety and anti-psychotic medication too. Borreson estimates a return-oninvestment within six-and-a-half years from energy savings alone. All these care providers say their facilities enjoy significantly higher occupancy rates than the average in their local area, with the potential to charge a premium for their facilities thanks to the improved environment of care they provide.

This brings us to the critical question – does it cost more? These lighting solutions do cost more upfront than basic products, partly because they are designed to change brightness and colour from bright ‘cool’ to soft warm from daytime to evening. These systems also demand more sophisticated controls than ‘on-off' and motion sensors that may be in place today. However, systems can be designed to retrofit with phases in implemention to minimise disruption. Many run on an open ‘bluetooth mesh’ so that there’s no need to rewire, or sign up for a proprietary system or an ongoing maintenance contract which can be more expensive over time. But the additional costs can be offset in two ways. First, the energy costs. LEDs are more efficient than fluorescent lights, so they use less energy when they're on. This approach also means that they are dimmed or switched off entirely for a significant part of the day, representing additional savings. The second is a reduction in operational costs: medication, staff absence and turnover can all make a significant difference to the bottom line.

Human-centred lighting is not rocket science. These down-to-earth solutions have the power to create a brighter future for us all.