Bedrooms

It’s important that we make sure our bedrooms are as safe as possible. Darkness, being drowsy, and awkward bed position can all combine with frailty and balance issues to make things precarious.

Research increasingly shows that good-quality sleep is key to staying healthy, happy, and avoiding falls. A good night’s sleep is really satisfying, as is making the bedroom a place of comfort and safety to read, relax, and recharge.

Sensor Lights

Circadian Lighting

Current research demonstrates the positive effects of light therapy on sleep in older adults. Older adults are, therefore, encouraged to spend some time in the sunlight. There are also artificial lights that help maintain healthy circadian rhythms, which help with:

• Improved sleep/wake cycles for general health and wellbeing.
• Better daytime cognition and engagement.
• Up to 43% reduction in falls.
• Regularised cortisol & melatonin cycles.

FALL PREVENTION – Lighting can be key to reducing falls.

If you love to read (or knit, or crochet, or do Wordle or the Times crossword… ), then it’s worth making sure you can do it for as long as possible. We take our eyesight for granted when we are young, and for most of us, it worsens as we age. We recommend investing in high-quality, appropriate lighting — something that benefits all ages.

Neck Reading Lights

Neck reading lights can be clipped onto your clothing or hung round your neck. These lights offer a bright and exact illumination for reading, studying, knitting, drawing, etc. This unobtrusive light won’t disturb others without causing you eye strain. We think it’s a fabulous personal, portable light source.

Quality Reading Lights

Serious Readers — This is an amazing (but expensive) quality light. They say – ‘The High Definition is the closest match to natural light, using our bespoke LED Daylight Wavelength Technology™. Recommended by over 500 independent opticians.’

Daylight — We love the look and flexibility of these. They say – ‘We utilise Ray Technology™, which enables the lamp to emit light exactly where it is required without disturbing anyone else in the room, making it an ideal floor lamp that produces daylight (6,000K) and warm light (2,700K), and doesn’t require angling of the lamp.’ The shade is height adjustable and the base is rotatable so light can be directed where required. The shade can also emit a soft glow, to add ambience to your room.

High-quality, accurate lighting is something everyone needs. These lights might also be fantastic gifts — we wouldn’t mind one as a birthday gift.

Page Magnifiers

With lightweight and ergonomic handle design, magnifiers are specially designed for older people with weaker hands. These are great for reading or for hobbies.

Miscellaneous

We love this bedside table light from Koto. It sits on the bedside table and acts as a night light, which can help when we need to find bedside table items in the night.

Smart Blinds can be controlled with a click of a button, via an app on your mobile phone, or through voice control using a smart device like Alexa. They are great when considering energy efficiency for the house, which should be at the forefront in any discussion about staying in place in the long term.

Smart blinds are great for both people with mobility issues who struggle to reach up and shut their blinds or for those with harder-to-reach windows. Having the ability to open and close blinds means that we can participate in changing our environment to suit our needs.

Getting in and out of bed can become increasingly difficult as we age. Sleep is such an important part of keeping our mind and body strong and healthy that we shouldn’t overlook investing is something that can make a huge difference in our lives.

Adjustable beds can reduce joint pain, help with all sorts of mobility issues, and provide a better sleeping experience. Also remember that, as we get older or need to navigate a change in circumstance (fall, illness, etc.), an adjustable bed could be the difference between being able to stay at home and going into care.

• QUALITY: It’s important to look for quality when purchasing a bed. One way to ensure quality is to look for the National Bed Federation mark of approval. This means that the manufacturers have met certain standards and that their products comply with relevant regulations. For added peace of mind, check if the bed comes with a warranty.
• COMFORT: Ask the specialist! A community nurse will be able to provide advice on the best way of making you comfortable if you’re in bed and recovering from illness or injury. They may be able to help by arranging for the loan of an adjustable bed, a pressure-relieving mattress, mattress pads, or protective sheets. Click Here for NHS advice.

Much like when we are children, quality and quantity of sleep is really important as we get older. The latest thinking suggests that much of that great diet and exercise work we do, especially in reducing the risk of dementia, can be undone by lack of proper sleep. We always advocate good ‘sleep hygiene’:

• Staying consistent with waking and sleeping times.
• Keeping your bedroom quiet, dark, relaxing, and at a comfortable temperature (between 17-20 degrees Celsius).
• Remove TVs, computers, and smart phones from the bedroom.
• Avoid large meals, caffeine, and alcohol before bedtime.
• Get some exercise. Being physically active during the day can help you fall asleep more easily at night.

As well as good sleep habits and investing in a good bed, there are sleep technology and techniques currently available that can help you experience quality sleep.

Did you know that you can tell a lot about how fit and strong you are using a simple grip test?

It is, of course, strength that helps our balance and reduces the chances of a fall. Here is what you can do:

1. Incorporate a hand grip strengthener (available here on Amazon) into your daily routine, whether during moments of idle time or while watching TV.
2. Embrace opportunities to lift heavy objects: confidently carry your groceries, hoist your cabin luggage (avoid dragging), and manage your suitcase at the airport or train station. Don’t pass up chances to engage in weightlifting activities (refer to image).
3. Enhance your grip strength by firmly holding your dumbbells during your workout sessions.
4. Try the Farmer’s Walk exercise with weights in each hand, arms at your sides, and walk (see image or search on Google). Begin with lighter weights and gradually progress until you can carry half your body weight in each hand.
5. Experiment with the Dead Hanging Pull-Up (consult an image or search on Google). It’s not an everyday exercise but rather an occasional test. Hang from a bar, supporting your body weight. Men should aim for at least a two-minute hang, while women should target 90 seconds at 40 (adjust the goal slightly for each decade of age) 🦾.

Remember the importance of starting early. Muscle mass decreases by approximately 1% each year after turning 40. Initiate your journey today; it doesn’t require much effort, but the return on investment is substantial.

These sleep apps are often recommended for older people:

1. Sleep Cycle: Sleep Cycle analyses your sleep patterns and wakes you up during your lightest sleep phase, helping you feel more refreshed. It also provides sleep-tracking data.
2. Relax Melodies: This app offers a variety of soothing sounds, melodies, and guided meditations to help you relax and fall asleep peacefully.
3. Pillow: Pillow tracks your sleep quality and provides detailed sleep analysis. It also offers features like smart alarm, sleep aid sounds, and nap modes.
4. Sleep Time: This app tracks your sleep patterns and offers a smart alarm feature that wakes you up at the optimal time within your sleep cycle. It provides detailed sleep analysis as well.
5. Pzizz: Pzizz combines soothing sounds, music, and voice-guided meditation to help you relax and fall asleep faster. It also offers a power nap feature.
6. Relax & Sleep Well: Created by hypnotherapist Glenn Harrold, this app includes guided meditations and hypnotherapy sessions designed to promote deep sleep and relaxation.
7. Headspace: While not specifically focused on sleep, Headspace offers a variety of guided meditations and sleepcasts that can help you relax and unwind before bedtime.
8. Calm: Similar to Headspace, Calm provides a range of guided meditations, sleep stories, and relaxing music to aid in falling asleep and improving sleep quality.

It’s worth noting that preferences for sleep apps can vary from person to person, so it may be helpful to try out a few different apps to find the one that works best for the individual’s needs.

Here’s a list of apps that are often recommended for older adults:

1. My Home Helper – A simple-to-use tablet computer that doesn’t need any interaction from the user. All the features simply appear without having to touch or press anything.
2. Pill Reminder Pro – This handy app sends a daily text message reminder to take the right medication at the right time.
3. Imutt – iMutt is your chance to look after an impossibly cute virtual rescue dog for five days.

Note: AFAH is only providing information about these apps, and provides no specific recommendation or endorsement of any.