Authors:
Kate Turley
1
;
Joseph Rafferty
1
;
Raymond Bond
1
;
Assumpta Ryan
2
;
Maurice Mulvenna
1
and
Lloyd Crawford
3
Affiliations:
1
School of Computing, Ulster University, 2-24 York St., Belfast, N. Ireland
;
2
School of Nursing and Pandemic Science, Ulster University, Northland Rd, Derry, N. Ireland
;
3
Chroma Lighting, 213-215 Donegal Rd, Belfast, N. Ireland
Keyword(s):
Dementia, Wellbeing, Dynamic Lighting, Circadian Rhythm, Body Clock, Sensing, IoT, Digital Health.
Abstract:
Light is a requirement for setting and maintaining the body’s circadian rhythm, however our knowledge of the spectral content, timing and duration of lighting exposure for the indoors is not well defined. For people living with dementia, this knowledge gap is important to address since they experience more heavily disrupted circadian rhythms, which can heighten symptoms of sundowning, agitation, low mood and poor sleep quality. This paper focuses on the required design aspects for a dynamic lighting and sensing device tailored towards supporting the wellbeing of people living with dementia. The authors discuss the current understanding of lighting for health, identify the gaps to be addressed and propose the design and research protocol for an indoor lighting and sensing solution. The device is currently deployed within a care home and analysis of results is forthcoming.