An intervention designed to improve sensory impairments in the elderly and indoor lighting in their homes: an exploratory randomized controlled trial

Figures & data

Figure 1 Flow chart showing the samples at T₁ and T₂.

Abbreviations: IG, intervention group; CG, control group; T₁, test 1; T₂, test 2.

Table 1 Instruments and measured variables

Instrument	Measured variables	Comments
LogMAR chart	Logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution	Visual acuity
HEINE Mini 3000^® otoscope Sennheiser HDA200 manual portable pure-tone audiometer KAS screen	Pure-tone average is measured on a logarithmic scale Background; vision and hearing; open-ended questions	Earwax and eardrum Pure-tone audiometry (M4 recommendation) at 500 Hz, 1,000 Hz, 2,000 Hz, and 4,000 Hz Interview guide with 110 questions and nine themes
Hagner luxmeter	Minimum, maximum, and average lux values + reading light	Examine lux values in the living room and reading light
Logbook	Reflections, comments, observations, and so on	The nurses maintain a logbook to enter reflections, comments, observations, and so on

Abbreviations: LogMAR, logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution; KAS, Kombinert Alvorlig Sansesvikt (Combined Serious Sensory Impairment).

Table 2 Sociodemographics at T₁

	T1
	IG	CG
Age, years (mean)	88 % (N)	88 % (N)
Housing
Live alone	71.7 (33)	70.2 (33)
Live with somebody	17.4 (8)	27.7 (13)
Live in the same house, but separate	10.9 (5)	2.3 (1)
Total	100 (46)	100 (47)
Type of house
Live in detached house	41.3 (19)	40.4 (19)
Semidetached	8.7 (4)	21.3 (10)
Apartment	26.0 (12)	17.0 (8)
Sheltered housing	24.0 (11)	17.0 (8)
Total	100 (46)	100 (47)
Education
Primary school	71.7 (33)	63.8 (30)
Continuation school	8.7 (4)	10.6 (5)
Secondary school	13.0 (6)	8.5 (4)
High school	6.5 (3)	17.0 (8)
Total	100 (46)	100 (47)
Family
Children	93.5 (43)	85.1 (40)
Economic status
Ample	8.7 (4)	6.4 (3)
Sufficient	58.7 (27)	63.8 (30)
Must be careful	26.1 (12)	29.8 (14)
Total	93.5 (43)	100 (47)
Psychosocial
Have concerns in life	45.7 (21)	51.1 (24)
Feeling safe in the house	95.7 (44)	100.0 (47)
Have visitors weekly	52.2 (32)	53.2 (31)

Abbreviations: IG, intervention group; CG, control group; T₁, test time 1.

Table 3 Measured lighting levels (lux) at T₁ and T₂

	IG		Mean change	CG		Mean change	P mean change diff IG/CG	Recommended lighting levels (minimum levels)
	T1	T2		T1	T2
	N=34	N=34		N=36	N=36			Norway^Citation19	US^Citation20
Lux, average	87	157	70	51	46	−5.3	0.009	200–300	300
Lux, maximum	194	324	130	138	111	−26.6	0.002
Lux, minimum	31	66	35	18	18	−0.4	0.039
	N=31	N=31		N=29	N=29
Reading light, lux	385	479	95	295	257	−37.9	0.20	750–1000	750

Abbreviations: IG, intervention group; CG, control group; diff, difference; T₁, test time 1; T₂, test time 2.

Table 4 Results from the KAS screen

Statements from the KAS screen	Mean change within IG	N	Mean change within CG	N	P between groups
People talk too fast, too low	−0.02	41	0.03	39	0.03*
Difficult to understand	−0.02	41	0.03	39	0.50
Difficult when many are present	−0.49	41	0.05	38	0.21
Difficult to understand dialects	−0.12	41	−0.10	39	0.81
Difficult to speak with strangers	−0.18	33	−0.11	27	0.45
Can hear doorbell	−0.12	41	−0.03	36	0.11
Can hear fire alarm/alarm	−0.50	39	0.50	36	0.15
It is easy to bump into or stumble on	−0.03	40	−0.05	37	0.71
Vision is an obstacle to moving indoors in familiar places	−0.05	40	0.00	39	0.33

Notes:

* Represent significant improvement from T₁ to T₂.

Abbreviations: IG, intervention group; CG, control group; KAS, Kombinert Alvorlig Sansesvikt (Combined Serious Sensory Impairment); T₁, test time 1; T₂, test time 2.

LyskulturBelysning for eldre og svaksynte [Lighting Conditions for Elderly and Visually Impaired People1197SandvikaLyskultur1997 Norwegian

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America IESoNRecommended Practice for Lighting and the Visual Environment for Senior LivingNew YorkANSI/IESNA2007Product ID: RP-28-07

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