Lighting and the Visual Environment for Older Adults and the Visually Impaired

CONTENTS

• 1.0 Introduction and Scope
• 1.1 Introduction
• 1.2 Scope
• 2.0 Quality and Quantity of Lighting for Vision
• 2.1 Source-Dependent Factors
  2.1.1 Illuminance
  2.1.2 Lighting Controls and User Interface (or User Experience, UX)
  2.1.3 Contrast and Light Reflectance
  2.1.4 Glare
  2.1.5 Flicker
  2.1.6 Spectral Power Distribution
• 2.2 Viewer-Dependent Factors
  2.2.1 Eye Diseases
  2.2.2 Age-Related Eye Changes
  2.2.3 Traumatic Brain Injury
• 2.3 Considerations to Improve Visibility
  2.3.1 Luminance and Reflectance
  2.3.2 Lighting the Task
  2.3.3 Shadows and Modeling of Faces
  2.3.4 Safety Accents
  2.3.5 Luminaire Placement
  2.3.6 Veiling Luminance
• 3.0 Design Guide
• 3.1 Design Issues Common to All Space Types
  3.1.1 Appearance of the Space and Surface Characteristics
  3.1.2 Color
  3.1.3 Sheen, Texture and Pattern
  3.1.4 Appearance of Luminaires
  3.1.5 Daylighting Integration and Control
  3.1.6 Light Distribution on Surfaces
  3.1.7 Light Distribution on Task Plane (Uniformity)
  3.1.8 Luminances of Room Surfaces
  3.1.9 Furniture and Free-Standing Objects
  3.1.10 Special Considerations for Persons With Memory Impairment
• 3.2 Considerations by Area
  3.2.1 Site
  3.2.2 Parking Lot, Parking Garage
  3.2.3 Exterior Walkways
  3.2.4 Plazas, Porches, Gardens
  3.2.5 Exterior Ramps and Stairs
  3.2.6 Exterior Furniture, Bus Shelters and Other Obstacles
  3.2.7 Outdoor Signage
• 3.3 Transition Spaces between Exterior and Interior Spaces
  3.3.1 Canopies
  3.3.2 Exterior Entry Doors
  3.3.3 Vestibules (Interior Entrance, Night and Day)
  3.3.4 Circulation Areas
  3.3.5 Lobbies
  3.3.6 Atria
• 3.4 Interior Common Spaces
  3.4.1 Lighting Considerations for Means of Egress
  3.4.2 Stairs, Escalators, Elevators
  3.4.3 Corridors and Hallways
  3.4.4 Public Restrooms
  3.4.5 Directional and Indoor Signs and Bulletin Boards
• 3.5 Commercial Spaces
  3.5.1 Offices
  3.5.2 Assembly and Conference Rooms
  3.5.3 Theaters, Galleries and Museums
  3.5.4 Public Speaking or Performances
  3.5.5 Medical Facilities
  3.5.6 Fitness Clubs, Exercise Areas, and Physical Therapy
  3.5.7 Dining and Food Service
  3.5.8 Libraries
• 3.6 Lodging and Residential Spaces
  3.6.1 Modifications to Existing Residences
  3.6.2 Using Daylight
  3.6.3 Spaces with Limited Daylight
  3.6.4 Porches, Exterior Steps, and Garages
  3.6.5 Indoor Apartment Entries
  3.6.6 Living Rooms (Including Conversation Areas)
  3.6.7 Private Dining Areas
  3.6.8 Kitchens
  3.6.9 Bedrooms
  3.6.10 Bathrooms
  3.6.11 Game and Activity Rooms
  3.6.12 Hobby Spaces with Motorized Equipment
• 3.7 Senior Care Facilities
  3.7.1 Meeting the Needs of the Oldest Adults
  3.7.2 Special Needs for Individuals Living with Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Forms of Dementia
• 3.8 Visually Based Accommodations for Those with Traumatic Brain Injury and Photosensitivity
• 4.0 Light Sources
• 4.1 Introduction
• 4.2 Choosing Light Source Color
• 4.3 Light Source Flicker
• 5.0 Daylight (Direct and Reflected)
• 5.1 Advantages of Daylighting
• 5.2 Guidelines for Good Daylighting Design
• 6.0 Light For Health
• 6.1 The Human Circadian System
• 6.2 Sleep Disturbances in the Aging Population
• 6.3 Seasonal Depression or Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
• 6.4 Hazards of Light Therapy
• 6.5 The Role of Daylight and Vitamin D3
• 7.0 Lighting Controls
• 7.1 Introduction
• 7.2 Code Requirements
• 7.3 Lighting Control Technologies and Considerations
• 7.4 Area-Specific Control Strategies for Senior Care Facilities
  7.4.1 Staff-Only Areas
  7.4.2 Resident Rooms
  7.4.3 Common Bathing Areas
  7.4.4 Common Restrooms
  7.4.5 Corridors, Stairs, or Common Intervening Spaces (Resident Areas)
  7.4.6 Common Resident Dining Rooms, Living Rooms, and Activity Areas
  7.4.7 Entry Areas
  7.4.8 Exterior Walkways and Parking
  7.4.9 Parking Garage
• 7.5 Circadian-Supportive Lighting
• 7.6 Additional Considerations
• Annex A – Illuminance Recommendations
• Annex B – Additional Reading
• Annex C – Scatter
• References