Dementia lifeline: UK start-up creates ‘bioadaptive’ lighting treatment for homes

Dr Zoe says walking can reduce risk of dementia

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info

According to the Alzheimer’s Society, it is estimated that around 900,000 people in the UK are presently living with dementia — a figure expected to increase to 1.6 million by 2040. This will place additional strain on both care homes and the NHS, with the cost of looking after patients with dementia expected to rise by around £60billion over two decades. At around 45 percent, the lion’s share of costs come from social care, whether in the form of home- or residential care. Given this, methods to help individuals with dementia manage their conditions better and stay in their own home have the potential to reduce this financial burden as well as improve quality of life.

Dementia causes severe disruptions to the body’s natural rhythm and sleep patterns.

This effect can be heightened among those individuals who, being less mobile, find themselves indoors most of the time and surrounded by artificial light sources that don’t provide the same natural cues that reinforce our so-called circadian rhythms.

The new project from Circadacare builds on the findings of previous studies that have shown that bioadaptive lighting can slow neurodegenerative disease onset and associated institutionalisation rates.

For example, in a study published in August 2020, researchers from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, administered an all-day lighting intervention to 47 patients with Alzheimer’s and related dementias across nine senior care facilities.

Over the course of the study, which lasted 25 weeks, the team monitored each subject’s rest and activity cycles using wrist-worn sensors.

Nighttime caregivers also completed surveys detailing each patient’s subjective levels of agitation, depression, sleep quality and quality of life.

The researchers found the use of bioadaptive lighting led to various quality-of-life improvements.

They said: “A regular circadian-effective daytime lighting intervention can improve sleep at night and reduce depression and agitation in patients with dementia living in controlled environments.

“More importantly, the positive effects of the tailored lighting intervention on these outcomes appear to be cumulative over time.”

While bioadaptive lighting has been implemented in some larger care homes, the costs traditionally associated with installation have limited its use in smaller facilities and individual homes — a challenge that Circadacare aims to overcome.

Circadacare is developing an “in-home” system that combines the health benefits of bioadaptive lights with artificial intelligence-driven sensor technologies which will help to identify dementia progression and the onset of any abnormal behaviours.

The project is being funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the North East Innovation Fund.

UKRI’s health ageing challenge director George MacGinnis said: “A third of children born today will live to 100.

“By 2050, the number of people aged 85 and over is projected to double in size.

“But it doesn’t necessarily mean that these extended years are spent in good health.”

DON’T MISS:
US reveals hypersonic missile test, risks escalating Russia tension [ANALYSIS]
Putin threatens to STARVE Germany in horror retaliation to measures [REPORT]
Covid hell: New Omicron XE variant sparks panic as China resorts to HERBAL medicine [INSIGHT]

Mr MacGinnis added: “Those aged 65 today will only live half of their remaining life without disability.

“That’s why the healthy ageing challenge is funding projects like this, which will help people lead healthier, more independent and connected lives as they age.”

Circadacare director Herman van Driel said: “Disrupted human circadian rhythms have wide-ranging health and wellbeing impacts in older adults.

“Our focus is on translating the science into solutions which improve the quality of life of older adults and people living with dementia for happier, more engaging lives.”

Source: Read Full Article

Previous post Geri Horner dashes hopes of Spice Girls reunion at Brooklyn Beckham’s wedding
Next post Fisherman catches terrifying catfish with prey still hanging from its mouth