Nursing Home Skovvang, slagelse

Full Dynamic Circadian Lighting

 

Nursing Home Skovvang in Slagelse got full dynamic circadian lighting installed in 2018 from LIGHTCARE in Søhus, one of two sections which house elderly dementia residents. In total 8 living facilities and the big kitchen and living room have had the lighting changed to the new full dynamic circadian lighting and especially the opportunity to give the residents a relaxing as well as a boost function lighting in their own homes, have been essential for the leader of the center Ruth Klein´s choice of solution.

 

 

 

maja nykjær kristensen

 

Full Dynamic Circadian Lighting – creates increased well-being and a better night´s sleep

 

Better sleep and more rest in the night as well as happier and more participating residents in the daytime are some of the positive effects we experience with our new lighting, the staff says at the dementia section Søhus in the nursing home Skovvang, Slagelse.

 

We are now in the beginning of March 2019 and it has been almost 3 months since the nursing home Skovvang got full dynamic circadian lighting from LIGHTCARE installed in 8 houses and kitchen and additional common areas. In that connection we have talked with Maja Nykjær Kristensen, who is working at the centre as a neuro pedagogue with speciality in dementia, to hear her and her colleagues’ experiences with the system. Maja was in connection with the installation trained as a super user of the system and has together with the leader of the centre, Ruth Klein, right from the start been a passionate advocate to try out full dynamic circadian lighting as an element of well-being with residents.

 

Maja, what was your original ideas and goals with the full dynamic circadian lighting?

Basically, we wanted to implement full dynamic circadian lighting with the overall purpose to increase the well-being with residents and staff. More specific we had experienced some unrest during night time in the section and we would like to stop that because we saw that the unrest disturbed most of the resident´s sleep at night which had a negative impact on the activity level of the residents and their mood the day after. We experienced that the residents often seemed tired and irritable in the daytime which rubbed of in the mood and atmosphere of both the residents as well as the staff. We wanted therefor to create more rest in the night and in that way increase the quality of the resident´s sleep. At the same time, it was our hope that a better sleep at night would give the residents more energy and increase their mood during the day.

 

Have you achieved that?

According to our intern documentation we can conclude that there is significant more tranquillity in the night. It has caused the residents are “awaken” in another way than before and there is more activity in the day. There are more residents joining our activities because they have more energy and surplus of mental resources like we experience that the residents stay for longer and are more participating in the activities.

 

What is the biggest impact that you experience the system has been for the residents?

Besides the increased rest at night and increased activity in the day, we experience also by far fewer episodes in the day where our residents show aggressive behaviour and are frustrated. They have become calmer and happier.

 

What about the staff – have you also experienced an impact?

I am very positive about how well the staff has welcomed the system and how good they are at using it in our daily routine. For example, does the staff use the possibility to create calming light in connection to a daily session where the residents sit together in the common area and rest and listen to relaxing music (or take a nap) in comfortable armchairs with blankets.

 

Is there an ability with the system, that you especially like in the daily life?

That the system automatically simulates the daylight and thereby follows the natural rhythm 24 hours. It helps the residents easier to register and sense it and it makes it easier for the staff to get the residents into a more organised rhythm.

Besides this the staff is especially happy about that they manually can choose light scenarios to calm or evoke the residents no matter time or place (because the light can be controlled manually in a single home or in some parts of the common area). Ultimately the staff is very happy because the light has significantly improved their working conditions in comparison with the old lighting.

Personally, I can feel a big positive difference when I have been in the section for a period, in comparison to the other sections, where there still is the old lighting. I feel less fatigue and more energetic.

 

How has the co-operation with LIGHTCARE been?

I think it has gone really well. You have always been there when we have had the need for help or in connection with fine-tuning of the system. Especially after we got the last wishes for the adjustment of the system done it has run impeccable.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LIGHTCARE A/S

 

Contact INFO:
Tlf. +45 88 32 00 77     
lightcare@lightcare.eu

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DENMARK

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