Light and Color: a Factor of Safety in the Everyday Life of the Elderly

For the elderly, their living environment is the symbol of their daily comfort. But it can become the theater of insecurity. Old age isn't a disease, but is accompanied by multiple pathologies. They have repercussions on the accomplishment of daily tasks. We are witnessing the emergence of a feeling of insecurity and a loss of autonomy. The beneficial influence of quality lighting in their daily lives shouldn't be minimized. The conquest of their autonomy can be made possible by analyzing their physical condition and their needs, thereby easing uncomfortable visual conditions. The loss of visual dynamics is the main cause of the difficulty to move, to apprehend and to judge the space's formal character. Some French paint manufacturers released a color range with bi and tri-chromic harmonies to be seen by people with visual impairments. Today isn't dedicated to the elderly, but such studies could become the starting point of a program to compensate their visual deficiencies.