BRIEF

Heanor Park made a commitment to use new technology to improve the operation and facilities of the home for residents and staff. They required a lighting solution that would help address this.

Our brief was to support human circadian cycles and therefore improve sleep patterns as well as the comfort and general wellbeing of residents through lighting.

SOLUTION

An amBX Circadian Plus solution for spectrum-control lighting was designed to fit the brief and installed. The Circadian Plus solution provides complete control of the colour spectrum of visible daylight light through multiple colour channels in each light. This enables precise delivery of the right colour mix at the right time of day for human circadian cycles.

Over 400 colour-spectrum lights have been installed at Heanor Park in all the bedrooms, corridors, common areas and bathrooms to ensure that residents benefit from the circadian lighting to the maximum extent. An amBX SmartCore system manages every light and each colour setting according to parameters provided by amBX’s Circadian Lighting adviser Lorraine Calcott, IEng MILP IALD (CLD) MSLL.

The algorithm is designed to run 24 hours x 7 days and is suitable for elderly residents with little or no ability to get outdoors, so with minimal exposure to natural daylight. Starting in the morning with the highest light levels and a target of around 750 lux or greater, depending on individual designs, the strongest circadian activating light content is delivered within the space between 7am and 10am by precise spectral control and broadly equivalent to a CCT range of 6000k to 8000k. The colour mix is blended to taper the blue content component towards the afternoon and then faded out whilst maintaining as close as possible to a white light in the region of 3000k.  The intensity would then drop to around 600 lux.   

After around 4pm the algorithm shifts towards an evening colour blend setting which is more equivalent to CCT of 3000k and then later in the evening it will move into the night-time setting at the warm end of the spectrum with reduced intensity levels.

Individual rooms can be adjusted to accommodate specific requirements for intensity levels or other needs and the system responds to staff intervention needs by immediately switching to full brightness when activated via a nurse-call system or switch.

A range of lighting fixture designs and types were developed by amBX partner Swann Lighting to combine blending with the design aesthetic for the home as well as effective delivery of the spectrum-controlled light.

RESULT

There has been a significant reduction in the amount of falls a care home would usually experience, Heanor Park only had 2 falls within the first 3 months of opening. In addition, as the lighting helps to entrain residents circadian rhythms Heanor Park employees have noted residents are showing a greater level or engagement, they appear to feel more active and alert at the right times of day and then as the lighting changes to mimic natural daylight throughout the day, by night time residents feel ready for bed and are getting a better nights sleep.

As a result of this employees are able to encourage more of a routine for residents making night shifts in particular much easier as residents are sleeping, and their body clocks are synced correctly. For staff working in these conditions they have commented how surprisingly they don’t feel tired, are still able to carry out tasks and feel alert as the circadian lighting is not installed in the staff room and office. For employees working dayshift the circadian lighting is also entraining their circadian rhythm, meaning they also get a better nights sleep.

TESTIMONIAL

We have recently used amBX to install circadian lighting at our new care home, Heanor Park. amBX were absolutely fantastic from start to finish and are still around to help with any queries or questions we have months after the installation. They listened to absolutely everything we wanted to achieve with the circadian lighting and then developed a plan and approach to best suit our needs. The lighting throughout the care home is fantastic and has made a real difference to the sleep patterns of our residents. It has also really helped our night shift staff who would often get tired by the dim lights, but because it is so easily changeable, the areas where the staff work during the night we change to replicate natural daylight to help keep them alert. Overall, Ashmere as a company has had a fantastic experience with amBX and circadian lighting and I can't thank them enough for their continued support and guidance.