I have always thought that senior living is the NASA for older adults. It is a proving ground where technologies are tried and tested. Once they pass muster and reach the critical price point that allows widespread acceptance, then the technology spreads to the general masses of older adults.
The trend to replace fluorescent lighting in senior living has begun, there is no doubt about it. But has it reached the tipping point yet? In my estimation, it has not. The tipping point is still several years off. You’ll know when you see lighting vendors at conferences with marketing material in hand and glowing success stories. And when at least 35% of the top 50 senior living providers have adopted LED lighting as their standard.
Currently, there are innovation leaders, such as Brookdale and Validus Senior Living, who have “seen the light” and have actively made the commitment. They have success stories of lower energy cost and healthier living environments. And more case studies are showing up at conferences of successful improvements in circadian rhythm among the general resident population.
Products such as back-lit mirrors are dovetailing with this trend toward the benefits of LED lighting. These mirrors have an additional advantage of producing a hospitality feel to a property while providing health and energy-savings benefits. So these types of products, along with tunable lighting controls, will play an active role in LED lighting reaching that tipping point.
Jack Armstrong is the national sales manager of Electric Mirror. He has been the founder of three companies in the senior living market and has designed leading-edge furniture, patient-lifting and bathing equipment for the senior market. He may be reached at [email protected].
