Danish nursing home staff's perceived visual comfort and perceived usefulness of a circadian lighting system

Abstract

This study investigated how staff working at a Danish nursing home experienced, perceived, and used circadian lighting for two years after its installation. The purpose of the installed circadian lighting was to improve the staff and residents' health and comfort. The paper is based on an action research methodology that used interviews, observations, and a questionnaire to investigate 42 staff members' perceived visual comfort, satisfaction with, and perceptions of the usefulness of the circadian lighting. The findings revealed that circadian light was perceived as satisfactory by the staff and was perceived as a more adequate light for work than the existing lighting system. Being able to adjust the lighting was perceived as important by staff for maintaining visibility, setting the lighting depending on the activities, and meeting residents' needs. This paper demonstrates the value of applying mixed methods when analyzing subjective assessment of light and visual comfort. We present an alternative card sorting method for studying perceptions of a 24-hour lighting application. Finally, the study demonstrates the value of evaluating the lighting with end-users after two years in use to improve future lighting installations and to adjust the current installation.