Evidence-Based Study of the Efficacy of a Daylight-Matching LED Luminaire in a Residence for Homeless Men
Title: Evidence-Based Study of the Efficacy of a Daylight-Matching LED Luminaire in a Residence for Homeless Men
Research Team: Eugenia Victoria Ellis, PhD; Donald L. McEachron, PhD; and Elizabeth W. Gonzalez
Institution: Drexel University
RESEARCH SUMMARY
The hypothesis for the original proposed study in 2012 was that red light at night would ensure better outcomes for the senior residents who resided in the dementia unit on the fourth floor of St. Francis Country House. The goal was to help improve symptoms of dementia and enhance the quality of the residents’ sleep. However, the lighting manufacturer was unable to fabricate the desired light that could be programmed to match the color of the noonday sun with a gradual onset and offset of red light at night.
Technology had improved and the team revised the study to use Philips Hue downlights to install in St. Columba, a residential facility for homeless men. The study was with the 25 residents who resided in the dormitory at St. Columba, where color-changing LED lights could be installed in the existing downlight fixtures. The residents’ quality of sleep was evaluated using two previously validated questionnaires: the PANAS (Positive and Negative Affect Schedule) and the WEMWBS (Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale). Although the research team had obtained IRB for the study and had received consent from the residents at St. Columba, they were unable to receive consent from all 25 residents and the 14 consents received did not provide enough data to achieve demonstrable results.
