8 Types of Good Lighting Your Loved One With Depression Needs

Are your loved one's living spaces well lit? Good lighting can reduce depression for people with dementia. It may also slow cognitive decline and the loss of functional abilities, according to a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Part of the explanation may be as simple as the fact that being able to see better builds confidence. Good lighting also lets your loved one more easily continue everyday activities and helps keep circadian rhythms on track.

Here are 8 lighting sources to check:

• A good bedside lamp in the bedroom. Use 100-watt bulbs (make sure they're safe for the lamp).

   

• A night-light in the room that stays on all the time. Position it so the bulb doesn't directly shine where it can be seen from bed.

   

• Clean windows with shades that open easily in both the bedroom and whichever room your loved one likes to sit.

   

• Strong, clear light over the dining table. You want your loved one to see the food!

   

• A porch light, if you sit outside in the evenings.

   

• A well-lit path to the bathroom at night. Use night-lights to illuminate the entire route from bedroom to hall to bathroom.

   

• Easy-on, toggle-style light switches throughout the house, especially in the bathroom.

   

• A night-light inside the bathroom, in case the overhead light isn't used.