“ENHANCING HEALING ENVIRONMENTS — Embracing Darkness as a Healing Tool”
Just as the presence of natural light in healthcare settings can enhance patient wellness and improve patient outcomes, so can its absence.
Consider, for example, the impact of light on our bodies’ circadian rhythms. Circadian rhythms play a vital role in metabolic, hormonal, and immunologic function. In healthcare settings, such as an intensive care unit, this circadian rhythm— this molecular machinery that responds to injury and illness and aids recovery—is often disrupted.
Of course, architectural and design professionals cannot atone for the variety of factors that may affect this rhythmicity: noise, altered feeding schedules, extensive patient care interactions and medications; alterations that may affect the outcomes of critically ill patients, for example. Still, critical elements of a hospital’s design can contribute to the normalization of circadian rhythmicity in critically ill patients, which can become a crucial aspect of care.
Keeping Patients in the Dark
Specifiers can contribute to improved wellness for patients in healthcare settings by turning to blackout shades for room darkening; motorized, automated roller shades that can be programmed according to a specific schedule. This allows care providers to incorporate more stability in a patient’s natural light exposure as an enhancement of care.
“For healing environments, such as clinics, medical centers, behavioral and mental health facilities and the like,” said Jan Wade, with A&I Manufacturing’s sales and development, “automated, energy-efficient, cord-free window treatments can be great enhancements.”
“It’s an easy thing for a hospital to offer its patients, and it’s an easy thing for an architect to offer a hospital,” said Wade.
It’s also an easy thing for manufacturers to offer architects. A&I, for example, offers motorization and automation for most of its product lines, including roller shades, cell shades, 2” aluminum blinds, and the Perfect Fit® system.
Just as daylight harvesting can contribute to healing environments and their purpose to mend and restore, so can tools that properly limit light exposure; an enhancement that can be passed on, not only from architect to client, but from provider to patient as well.
Architects, specifiers, and design professionals can use a combination of efficient products and sustainable lighting techniques that contribute to healing environments. For more information on A&I’s line of motorized and automated product options, visit our website, or contact Commercial Specification Manager Dave Keegan at dkeegan@a-imanufacturing.net.
