SENIORS BENEFIT FROM NATURAL LIGHT Vision, bones, mood, safety, and energy savings among considerations

According to the Center of Design For An Aging Society in Portland, Oregon, older people need more light (about 3 to 5 times more than younger people) for both vision and maintaining health.
Seniors are well aware that as they age their eye lenses thicken and their pupils shrink. This causes their eyes to adapt more slowly to changing light conditions and increases the need for more light, and not just for vision and safety.
Many seniors don’t get outside enough, so there are many reasons to consider bringing more natural light in. They need vitamin D for calcium to be absorbed by the body to strengthen teeth, bones and tissue to maintain a healthy skeleton throughout life. Two sources of vitamin D are diet and sunlight. In healthy human bodies, 80 percent of vitamin D is produced in the skin when it is exposed to natural light. A vitamin D deficiency can contribute to the brittle-bone disease osteoporosis, a major issue of aging, particularly for women.
And the benefits of having abundant daylight in our homes aren’t just physical. Studies show that Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), evidenced by emotional depression, a drop in physical energy, increased appetite, and need for more sleep, is directly linked to a lack of sufficient daylight.
Some researchers are concluding that light therapy may help to alleviate SAD symptoms faster than antidepressant drugs. In a review of clinical trials of light therapy, Dr. Daniel Kripke at the University of California, San Diego reported that light therapy benefits not only SAD patients but also people suffering from other forms of depression.

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Page 2 of 2 - Natural Light For Sight
Sunlight can enter our dwellings and be balanced through the use of windows, doors and skylights. According to Joe Patrick, senior product manager with VELUX America, skylights admit 30 percent more light than vertical windows in dormers, and provide the drama of a sky view that can’t be achieved with vertical windows. “Skylights also offer much more privacy than vertical windows without taking up valuable wall space that can be used for decorating or storage,” Patrick says, “a real benefit as seniors downsize living spaces.”
“And from an economic standpoint,” Patrick points out, “venting skylights admit light from above and reduce energy costs while transforming living areas into bright, safer spaces. And they provide a dose of the medicine that daylight and fresh air offer,” he says. “It’s also a way to stretch fixed-income dollars,” Patrick says, “with a one-time purchase that pays benefits over time by reducing energy costs.”
And now is a particularly good time to consider upgrading existing skylights or adding new units to qualify for a tax credit of up to $200 under the Energy Tax Incentives Act of 2005.
For more information on the benefits of natural light and skylight selection call
1-800-283-2831 or visit www.veluxusa.com. For government information on window and skylight energy efficiency visit www.energystar.gov, and for independent agency information visit www.nfrc.org or www.efficientwindows.org.

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Image Caption – Researchers McFarland and Fisher report that to accommodate the adaptation of the aging eye, the amount of light required for visual acuity doubles for each 13 years after age 20.
VELUX America Information Series No.10/06 – Seniors Benefit From Natural Light – Apx. 490 Words – 2nd Qt. - 2006
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