As your loved ones age, their changing physical needs also require a change in their physical environment – their home. Elderproofing a home is a way to make sure a senior’s home is safe and in many cases it requires only slight accommodations and a small investment. A simple, yet effective method is incorporating color and contrast to increase the safety and functionality of their home.
Color & Contrast As a Tool
The use of color and contrast accommodates the aging eye. Over time, eyes may lose sensitivity and have difficulty differentiating similar patterns and colors. Therefore, using bolder color contrast becomes crucial. “When we talk of color contrast, it’s the separation of lights and darks,” said Michael Pause, a professor who teaches color and light theory at North Carolina State. “It’s the notion of being able to distinguish between two surfaces.”
Using different colors on kitchen countertops and cabinets can help people with declining vision discern where one surface ends and the next begins. Moreover, there are other areas of the home that can benefit from color contrast and make for easier navigating. These include baseboards, stair edges, ramp edges, door moldings and, in the bathroom showers and bathtubs.
According to the Healthy House Institute,
“If the color of a floor and wall are similar, low light conditions will make it hard or impossible to clearly see where the floor meets the wall. The result for eyes not adjusted to low light conditions can be accidental collisions into the wall perhaps by turning a corner before actually reaching it. High contrast or opposite colors on the floor and walls makes the floor visually ‘pop.’ These are visual cues, additional guideposts for the brain to navigate by.”
Universal Design
There are a myriad of ways to use color and contrast to increase functionality in the home. The Center for Universal Design at North Carolina State offers several ideas in its “Universal Design in Housing” guide.
- Use a contrasting color border treatment on between floor surfaces and trim.
- Add color contrast to differentiate between stair treads and risers.
- Emphasize lighting at stairs and entrances for easy recognition of the junction of floor surfaces and walls. Task lighting can help.
- Create contrast between countertops and front edges or cabinet faces. Again, task lighting is useful.
- Avoid glossy surfaces, which may reflect light and glare, potentially confusing the eye.
- To increase safety, install color contrasting faucet handles.
- Use contrasting colors on wall and casements when installing light switches and window hardware.
- Color can also be used for facilitating recognition of everyday-use items in the kitchen and bathroom as well.
We Can Help
David York Agency has done a lot of research about elder proofing homes and has compiled a concise, handy chart for caregivers to use which is available on the caregiver resources page of their website.
David York Agency provides qualified and well-trained healthcare professionals when you need them: Certified Home Health Aides (HHA), Certified Personal Health Care Aides (PCA), Registered Nurses (RN), Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN), full- or part-time, live-in or -out, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Licensed by the New York State Department of Health, we believe your loved one deserves the best care. Call for a free consultation today, at (718) 376-7755.
