World information overload day 😉
Happens to be the same as world statistics day…
Your brain is whirring along at around 10 bits/second, while your senses are collecting data at 109 bits/second – The unbearable slowness of being: Why do we live at 10 bits/s?
It’s no secret that processing speed slows down with age.
But other cognitive functions, like executive function (decisonmaking) and experiential skills don’t have to go the same way – The Impact of Age on Cognition.
What’s that got to do with light?
Rubbish in, rubbish out – your ability to process information starts with the input, including from your eyes. Visual clutter in your peripheral vision makes you less efficient at processing the target of your attention – ‘Visual clutter’ alters information flow in the brain.
Making sense of shadows is especially complicated in people experiencing cognitive decline – Contrast Sensitivity, Visual Field, Color Vision, Motion Perception, and Cognitive Impairment: A Systematic Review, interestingly, children with autism are likely to process shadows differently too – Perception of Shadows in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.
You can improve your ability to see the wood for the trees with simple visual training tasks – Training improves visual processing speed and generalizes to untrained functions.
Use the morning for data-driven tasks- you’re sharpest then – Sharper in the morning: Cognitive time of day effects revealed with high-frequency smartphone testing.
Adjust the lights – bright, cool light is likely to make you feel more alert – Daytime Exposure to Short Wavelength-Enriched Light Improves Cognitive Performance in Sleep-Restricted College-Aged Adults.
But comfort comes first – you can’t concentrate if you’re feeling stressed – Effects of Light on Attention and Reaction Time: A Systematic Review.
Buttons and boxes- notes from the Smart Buildings Show last week
Lots of blinking boxes and animated dashboards, branded bags, brochures and boxes of chocolates on show – plus some excellent talks and panels. But noticeably smaller and more sedate than last year’s event.
A couple of themes
Many buildings are now ripe for the ‘second generation’ of digital, with basic infrastructure of sensors already in place – whether it’s generating useful data or even switched on is another matter.
Sticking more shiny gadgets on top of that creaking system is not going to help. Taking the time to go back to basics and leverage what we already have could be the most valuable innovation of all.
The role of the MSI was hotly debated – how can clients grasp the complexity of these systems and implications of ‘value engineering’ on day two, three and four? Who can be trusted to own those relationships- and who should carry the can when costs escalate and promised performance is never delivered?
The need for a procurement and ‘soft landing’ framework – and contracts that reflect the need for ongoing support is clear. Who is best-placed to establish a roadmap that will be adopted by enough key players to make a meaningful impact?
The need for education came up time and time again – as Katherine Farrington pointed out, there isn’t a university course in ‘digital buildings’ – it’s a case of learning on the job.
Some inspiring presentations from outside the digital bubble, too – including Chief Operating Officer at Alleyn School, Guy Collins-Down. Installing simple sensors in an old Victorian building and adding simple electronic tags, is saving parents over £100,000 in lost school uniforms and an estimated to £250,000 per year in staff time currently spent taking the register alone.
I just hope the lighting in that school is better than the conditions in the Excel…
Human-centred Lighting, Human-Centred Care: Lessons from Westminster Village’s award-winning Magnolia Court
At Westminster Village in West Lafayette, Indiana, Memory Care Manager Kinsey Foster and her team are proud of their pioneering work.
Magnolia Court, the community’s dedicated memory care “neighbourhood,” opened just over two years ago with one clear aim: to deliver the best-possible care, integrating circadian lighting with an enriched activity schedule to help residents maintain daily rhythm, reduce sundowning behaviours, and improve sleep quality.
Magnolia Court doubles programming and deliberately schedules evening engagements. Light and activity work in tandem — keeping residents alert in the day and calm at night, even through Indiana’s long, dark winter months.
The circadian system, designed with partners Pepper and Structure Point, runs automatically in common areas, subtly shifting colour temperature and intensity to match the time of day. Bedrooms remain simply lit, encouraging residents to spend time in social spaces or the sensory “Snoezelen” room — a calming multi‑purpose space with projectors, nature videos, aromatherapy, and tactile comforts.
Magnolia Court’s approach to design for dementia care goes beyond lighting:
Wayfinding & environment: corridor ends disguised as lounges or library murals to reduce confusion
Personalised routines to reflect the resident’s life history and preferred sleep-wake timing
Universal care model: cross‑training CNAs, nurses, and activity staff to support both physical ADLs and engagement programming
Does it work?
Staff have typically noted a positive transition when joining Magnolia Court earlier in their dementia journey with the assistance of the circadian lighting and programing schedules, helping to address issues of agitation and falls.
Westminster Village is keen to build on this success, recognising that the key to success is in the small scale and personalised care each resident receives.
It’s not just the residents who benefit. Staff enjoy a supportive, team‑oriented culture, where self‑care is encouraged to meet the emotional demands of the role. As Kinsey points out, “You can’t pour from an empty cup.”
The success of Magnolia Court is a testament to what dedication, leadership, and innovative thinking can achieve in dementia care. Kinsey Foster and her team demonstrate how circadian lighting is not just a technical upgrade—it’s integrated into a holistic vision of care that honours the rhythms of life and the dignity of each resident.
Allotment inside
Getting outside even for 15 minutes per day boosts mood, physical fitness and helps us to sleep better too – How even just 15 minutes in nature can boost your wellbeing.
Older adults who do a bit of gardening enjoy better health and quality of life overall.
A small garden in a residential care facility is good for residents and staff alike – Residents’ use and perceptions of residential care facility gardens: A behaviour mapping and conversation study.
But as the days get shorter and it’s wet and cold, what if you just can’t get outside today?
Just pottering about with a few houseplants (the posh name is ‘horticultural therapy’) could be enough to reduce stress, increase social interaction and physical flexibility – and even reduce your waistline – Effects of horticultural therapy on health in the elderly: A review and meta-analysis.
Those plants are likely to be close to the window, so you get a boost from some daylight too – helping you to get a better nights’ sleep.