Health News / June 2007
Vision Quest
Having an eye for design usually means knowing how to decorate beautifully, but for people with vision loss, good home design can be the difference between being functioning independently or relying on others for daily needs. Or, it can simply mean a safer, more comfortable life.
Vision loss is a common disability of older adults, but visual changes can start as early as forty. Whether someone in the house is experiencing an age-related eye disease like glaucoma or macular generation or is simply near sighted, there are ways to make a home more vision-friendly.
Bright colors are an easy, effective way to make objects stand out. The principle can be applied throughout the house to help people with vision loss safely navigate their homes and find items more easily. Use a light-colored plate on a dark place mat, and contrasting napkins. Dark towels and dark bath mats in a light bathroom, or vice versa, are easy to locate. Door frames painted in a contrasting color to the walls around them makes entries and exits readily identifiable. Stairways can be made safer by placing brightly-colored strips of tape along the edge of each step or painting step edges in a contrasting color. Homemakers can use dark cutting boards for light-colored items like chicken, and light cutting boards for darker foods, like green peppers. Light switches in a contrasting color are easier to locate. Keep colored soaps for white tubs and sinks and choose products like toothpaste and shampoo that come in brightly colored colored containers.
Contrasting textures can also help navigate around the house, whether it is fabrics or flooring, like tile, carpet, or linoleum. But, upholstery with patterns should be avoided. Stripes, plaids and checks can be visually confusing.
Good lighting is essential, not only for reading but for normal, daily tasks. Sufficient overall lighting is a must for safety. Fluorescent is best for general room lighting since it doesn’t produce shadows and highly-concentrated incandescent lighting is best for reading and close-up work like sewing or playing cards. Specific task lighting can make everyday activities like slicing an apple or pouring coffee much easier. Flexible gooseneck lamps are ideal for task lighting since they can position light exactly where it’s needed. Night lights in the bedroom, hallway, bathroom and kitchen help navigate in the dark.
Susceptibility to glare is part of the normal aging process but eliminating glare is critical for people with low vision. Television sets should be repositioned so sunlight or lamplight doesn’t shine directly on them. Windows should be covered with shades or mini-blinds so light can be adjusted during the course of the day. Tablecloths reduce glare from tabletops and homemakers should use a no-glare wax on their floors. Low-glare and natural daylight light bulbs will be the best choice for light fixtures.
A good organization system is critical for people with vision loss. Large print calendars and address books can be helpful, as can storing equipment and supplies near the activity for which they are used.
Everyone in the house should learn to return things to the same place and keep track of essential items like keys, remote controls, and eyeglasses by storing them in baskets and other organizers. Eliminating clutter – disposing of unnecessary items and finding places for everything else – can provide considerable assistance.
Adapting a home for visual safety and manageability need not be expensive or require major renovation, but two factors, predictability and visibility, must be considered. Predictability involves organizing furniture, objects, and contents of closets and cabinets in ways that are convenient and easily remembered. Family members and visitors must be reminded to mention if something has been moved. Visibility covers a broad range of adaptations, from enlargement, like large-print labels, large number clocks, to increased lighting, glare reduction and employing strong color contrasts, different textures, or tactile markings all through the house. There are hundreds of products, from magnifiers to talking kitchen equipment, that are also available to help visually impaired individuals manage daily life safely and comfortably.
For more informaiton, visit the American Foundation for the Blind, www.afb.org/seniorsite.com
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