Do lighting needs change as we get older? Although we all know its true little is done about it. Although a growing number of our population is now fifty or older, most lighting is designed for people in their twenties. Our eyes get slighted and we stumble our way into too many needless accidents.
As we get older most of us find it gets harder to see small details up close, which is why we begin to need reading glasses after the age of forty or so. We may also find it more difficult to discriminate between subtle shades of colors, and we become less sensitive to contrasts between light and dark.
Lighting consultants suggest the following ways to improve lighting in your home for both health and safety reasons:
Eliminate glare by making sure lights are shielded even if they are not used for reading. Indirect glare from a highly polished floor, for example, creates optical illusions that can lead to falls.
Put lamps where they can illuminate particular activities, such as sewing or reading. In the kitchen, install fluorescent under-cabinet lighting close to work surfaces.
Always locate switches and wall plates in the same place the right-hand side, for example and in convenient places, preferably near doorways. Luminous switches are a help.
