WEBVTT 00:00:00.430 --> 00:00:03.990 Hi everyone, it's Robin from Senior Safety Advice. 00:00:04.269 --> 00:00:06.330 I'm really glad you're joining me today because 00:00:06.330 --> 00:00:08.750 we're talking about something that seems simple 00:00:08.750 --> 00:00:11.429 but can make a huge difference in your safety 00:00:11.429 --> 00:00:15.449 at home, and that is lighting, or more specifically, 00:00:15.810 --> 00:00:18.910 how to light your home without creating new trip 00:00:18.910 --> 00:00:22.230 hazards. You know, most people think falls happen 00:00:22.230 --> 00:00:25.829 because of a loose rug or a slippery floor, and 00:00:25.829 --> 00:00:28.629 yes, those things matter. But poor lighting is 00:00:28.629 --> 00:00:31.469 right up there as a top reason that older adults 00:00:31.469 --> 00:00:34.630 fall at home. Can't tell you how many times I've 00:00:34.630 --> 00:00:36.929 walked into someone's house and the living room 00:00:36.929 --> 00:00:40.969 looks like a romantic dinner scene at 10 a .m., 00:00:40.969 --> 00:00:43.770 meaning there's soft lighting and cozy shadows 00:00:43.770 --> 00:00:46.969 and absolutely perfect conditions for stubbing 00:00:46.969 --> 00:00:50.289 a toe or missing a step. Don't worry if this 00:00:50.289 --> 00:00:52.789 sounds familiar. We've all gotten used to the 00:00:52.789 --> 00:00:55.009 lighting we have, even when it isn't working 00:00:55.009 --> 00:00:58.679 for us anymore. What I want to do today is help 00:00:58.679 --> 00:01:01.460 you see your home the way a safety specialist 00:01:01.460 --> 00:01:05.359 would, and show you a few very easy changes that 00:01:05.359 --> 00:01:08.180 can lower your risk of falling without turning 00:01:08.180 --> 00:01:12.120 your house into an airport runway. So let's start 00:01:12.120 --> 00:01:15.420 with this. Good lighting is not about making 00:01:15.420 --> 00:01:18.200 everything bright. It's about making everything 00:01:18.200 --> 00:01:21.829 visible. There's a big difference. And the goal 00:01:21.829 --> 00:01:24.989 is to help your eyes move from room to room without 00:01:24.989 --> 00:01:28.290 strain, without glare, and without tricky shadows. 00:01:29.310 --> 00:01:31.650 So let's walk through the first, or excuse me, 00:01:31.810 --> 00:01:35.170 the main ideas together. First, we're going to 00:01:35.170 --> 00:01:37.750 talk about the biggest troublemakers, which are 00:01:37.750 --> 00:01:41.790 dark hallways and shadowy corners. These areas 00:01:41.790 --> 00:01:45.530 are classic fall zones. When your brain can't 00:01:45.530 --> 00:01:48.189 quite see what's ahead, your feet get a little 00:01:48.189 --> 00:01:52.030 unsure. So one of the easiest fixes is to add 00:01:52.030 --> 00:01:55.870 soft, even lighting along those pathways. Battery 00:01:55.870 --> 00:01:59.409 powered LED wall lights or motion sensor night 00:01:59.409 --> 00:02:02.409 lights are great for this. They don't need cords, 00:02:02.670 --> 00:02:05.150 they don't take up space, and they give you just 00:02:05.150 --> 00:02:07.810 enough light to help you feel confident moving 00:02:07.810 --> 00:02:11.770 around. Talking about cords for a minute, I think 00:02:11.770 --> 00:02:14.270 we all know that lamp cords have a mind of their 00:02:14.270 --> 00:02:17.689 own. They never seem to stay put. They slither 00:02:17.689 --> 00:02:20.550 out from behind tables and somehow end up right 00:02:20.550 --> 00:02:24.370 where your foot wants to go. If you rely on floor 00:02:24.370 --> 00:02:27.330 lamps for lighting, but those lamps have cords 00:02:27.330 --> 00:02:30.370 stretching across your walking paths, that's 00:02:30.370 --> 00:02:34.129 a trip hazard. There's no way around it. So here 00:02:34.129 --> 00:02:37.629 is the simple shift. Either move the lamp so 00:02:37.629 --> 00:02:40.710 the cord stays against the wall, or switch to 00:02:40.710 --> 00:02:43.729 lamps that plug in right where they stand. If 00:02:43.729 --> 00:02:47.030 you absolutely need a cord to cross a walkway, 00:02:47.449 --> 00:02:51.069 use a cord cover that lies completely flat. Or 00:02:51.069 --> 00:02:54.389 better yet, replace that lamp with a well -mounted 00:02:54.389 --> 00:02:57.289 or overhead light so nothing touches the floor. 00:02:58.590 --> 00:03:00.930 Next, I want to talk about something that people 00:03:00.930 --> 00:03:04.030 often overlook, and that is light placement. 00:03:04.949 --> 00:03:07.050 Your lighting should help you see the floor, 00:03:07.289 --> 00:03:10.990 not just light up the room. That's why placing 00:03:10.990 --> 00:03:14.349 lights too high or too low can cause problems. 00:03:14.930 --> 00:03:17.490 Having overhead lights is a great thing, but 00:03:17.490 --> 00:03:20.409 if the bulbs are too bright or the shade sends 00:03:20.409 --> 00:03:22.909 all the light upward, you're left with shadows 00:03:22.909 --> 00:03:26.550 on the ground, and shadows hide clutter, steps, 00:03:26.930 --> 00:03:30.289 and uneven flooring. One of the best things you 00:03:30.289 --> 00:03:32.550 can do is to walk through your home at night 00:03:32.550 --> 00:03:35.800 and look down at the floor as you move. Can you 00:03:35.800 --> 00:03:38.620 see the edges of the furniture, the throw rug, 00:03:38.979 --> 00:03:42.080 the threshold between your rooms? If the answer 00:03:42.080 --> 00:03:45.500 is no, don't blame your eyes, blame your lighting. 00:03:46.979 --> 00:03:50.039 Let's talk about light time, night time, I'm 00:03:50.039 --> 00:03:52.860 sorry, lighting next, because this is where many 00:03:52.860 --> 00:03:55.560 falls happen. When you get up in the middle of 00:03:55.560 --> 00:03:57.900 the night, maybe to use the bathroom, grab a 00:03:57.900 --> 00:04:00.840 glass of water, or check on a noise, your vision 00:04:00.840 --> 00:04:03.949 is not at full power. It takes your eyes a moment 00:04:03.949 --> 00:04:06.930 to adjust, and that moment is when people tend 00:04:06.930 --> 00:04:09.710 to catch their toe on a piece of furniture or 00:04:09.710 --> 00:04:13.849 misjudge a step or a threshold. Motion sensor 00:04:13.849 --> 00:04:16.670 night lights are amazing here. You can place 00:04:16.670 --> 00:04:19.649 them low along the wall, near the bathroom, or 00:04:19.649 --> 00:04:21.910 on the path from your bedroom to the kitchen. 00:04:22.389 --> 00:04:25.910 They light up automatically, and again, no cords. 00:04:27.029 --> 00:04:29.209 Speaking of the bathroom, bright lighting in 00:04:29.209 --> 00:04:32.319 this space can be a real game changer. A dim 00:04:32.319 --> 00:04:35.480 bathroom is especially risky because it's a place 00:04:35.480 --> 00:04:39.860 with slick surfaces and tight spaces. Add a soft 00:04:39.860 --> 00:04:42.560 overhead light and a small night light near the 00:04:42.560 --> 00:04:45.920 sink or toilet. And be careful with lighted mirrors. 00:04:46.519 --> 00:04:49.680 Some are great, but some are too bright and can 00:04:49.680 --> 00:04:52.180 cause glare that makes it harder to see your 00:04:52.180 --> 00:04:55.639 footing. Another thing people forget about is 00:04:55.639 --> 00:04:58.899 their entryway. The front door, back door, and 00:04:58.899 --> 00:05:02.480 garage entry all need even lighting with no shadows. 00:05:03.259 --> 00:05:05.839 When you carry bags, groceries, or your purse, 00:05:06.160 --> 00:05:09.240 you don't have a hand free for balance, so make 00:05:09.240 --> 00:05:12.639 sure these spaces are well lit and that no cords, 00:05:13.000 --> 00:05:15.480 lanterns, or decorative lights are sitting on 00:05:15.480 --> 00:05:19.360 the floor. If you use seasonal lights, keep them 00:05:19.360 --> 00:05:23.720 at waist height or higher. One last point before 00:05:23.720 --> 00:05:26.439 I wrap up. I want you to think about lighting 00:05:26.439 --> 00:05:29.540 as part of your safety plan, not just part of 00:05:29.540 --> 00:05:32.699 home decor. The right lighting helps your brain 00:05:32.699 --> 00:05:36.199 process your surroundings faster. That means 00:05:36.199 --> 00:05:39.819 fewer stumbles, less hesitation, and more confidence 00:05:39.819 --> 00:05:43.100 moving around your home. And confidence matters. 00:05:43.279 --> 00:05:46.639 It keeps you active, independent, and sure -footed. 00:05:47.420 --> 00:05:50.959 So here's my quick checklist for you as we are 00:05:50.959 --> 00:05:54.810 finishing. Look for spots in your home hallways, 00:05:54.889 --> 00:05:58.350 corners, and stairways. Check for lamp cords 00:05:58.350 --> 00:06:02.610 or extension cords that cross walkways. Add motion 00:06:02.610 --> 00:06:05.050 sensor night lights where you walk at night. 00:06:05.829 --> 00:06:08.569 Make sure you can see the floor clearly in every 00:06:08.569 --> 00:06:11.550 room. And choose lights that brighten the space 00:06:11.550 --> 00:06:16.050 evenly without glare. Small changes add up. The 00:06:16.050 --> 00:06:18.910 beautiful part? Most of these adjustments take 00:06:18.910 --> 00:06:22.509 less than 10 minutes. All right, that's it for 00:06:22.509 --> 00:06:25.579 today's episode. If you found this helpful, please 00:06:25.579 --> 00:06:27.959 share it with a friend or family member who might 00:06:27.959 --> 00:06:30.899 need a little lighting refresh too. I'll see 00:06:30.899 --> 00:06:33.819 you soon in another episode for another simple 00:06:33.819 --> 00:06:36.199 tip that can make a big difference in your life. 00:06:36.800 --> 00:06:39.079 Until then, take care. Bye!