Experts weigh in on easy ways older folks can lighten up the house

There are several reasons Max Tripodi often focuses on lighting in seniors’ houses.

“A well-lit home is a safer home,” he says, referring to both ambient lighting that can reduce tripping hazards, and task lighting that cuts down on the risk someone will nick their finger while chopping vegetables.

Tripodi is owner of RCA Contractors in Florida. He emphasizes that illuminating spaces can also contribute to quality of life.

“自然光在心理和情感健康中起着巨大的作用seniors, especially for those who live alone and during the fall and winter months,” he says.

Together with Chris Moore, founder of Virginia contracting company Solid Rock Enterprises, these two Certified Aging in Place Specialists (CAPS) offer their expertise about why lighting should be one of the first aspects of aging in place to focus on. Plus, they share easy lighting ideas and updates you can make.

照亮您花费最多时间的区域

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Tripodi的过程很简单：评估带有整体昏暗照明和/或阴影（环境列表）的区域；并写下房主花费大部分时间来增强任务照明的地方。

他说，最常见的是后者，是厨房，读椅子和床头，可以简单地修复。

“大多数实地厨房都可以从非处方中受益strip lights, which are very easy to install. Several peel-and-stick options make installation quick and convenient,” suggests Tripodi.

另一个快速的照明想法是阅读灯要么wall-mounted lights next to the bed. Plus, anything that’s wall-mounted can cut down on the risk of tripping on cords.

Recessed lighting makes a great option for larger spaces

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环境照明散布在大空间中，是房间的主要照明来源。对于那些衰老的人来说，嵌入式灯是三哥的灯光。

“Recessed lights are easy to install, and they do a great job of spreading light across the entire room, especially in open-concept homes,” Tripodi says. “Not only that, they’re fairly inexpensive.”

对于嵌入式灯光，Tripodi建议使用声音激活的设备同步的智能灯，因此老年人不必在黑暗中弄乱开关。对于患有关节炎的人来说，简单的交换包括拆除较旧的拨动开关，这些开关的表面较小，以代替larger, modern toggle switches.

Including dimmer functionality also conserves energy and cuts costs.

智能设备为您完成工作

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Moore is a fan of tech tools and recommends motion sensor lights. Not only does this lighting idea conserve energy, but as many seniors age they have trouble sleeping—particularly if they have a night light that’s constantly illuminated.

“Putting lights into toe-kicks in the vanity cabinets of bathrooms adds wayfinding, and is really low-hanging fruit,” says Moore.

One of the easiest updates to make, says Tripodi, is installingsmart plugs(we’ve tested many) to make task lighting like lamps voice controlled.Smart LED Bulbsare another simple fix to control lamps throughAlexa要么Google Home.

Enhance natural light with a skylight

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您不能低估自然照明对实用性或情绪的价值。Tripodi说，安装天窗是一个相对简单的DIY项目，或者使用承包商通常是便宜的项目。

“有多种方式将that in, whether it’s a large-scale renovation to remove non-load-bearing walls and create an open-concept layout, or simply adding windows,” he explains.

Brightening a space isn’t just down to lights

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摩尔报道，令人惊讶的是，快速照明想法不一定涉及固定装置或布线。他建议一些简单的东西，例如凉爽的色调的新鲜油漆，可以解决问题。

他说：“随着我们的眼睛年龄，我们区分凉爽色彩的能力比暖色更快。”“在整个老年人的房屋中添加蓝光或凉爽的灯光将增加它们之间看到的对比度，并使安全行走更容易。”

Moore also recommends creating color contrasts between rooms—especially if the floors are different levels—or where walls meet in a corner, like hallways and stairs.Stairswith dark treads and white risers, or buying a table with a dark top and white sides, is also helpful to create that contrast for seniors.

Walkways and entrances need light, too

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虽然首先专注于高流量区域（通常是房屋内部）是有意义的，但房主也不应该忘记外部。

“Outdoor lighting is especially important along the walkways your parents use to get from the driveway to the entrance of their house at night,” says Tripoldi.

但是，虽然太阳能灯可以便宜且易于安装（没有电线需要挖掘），但它们的耐用性和出色的效果比low-voltage LED systems.

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