Research Opportunity on the Effectiveness of Tailored Light Treatment Available

The Lighting Research Center at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) is recruiting volunteers currently residing in a Capital Region nursing home or assisted living facility to participate in a study to test the effect of a light treatment on sleep and behavior in persons with Alzheimer's Disease or Related Dementias (ADRD).

Light therapy has shown great promise as a nonpharmacological method to improving symptoms associated with ADRD, with preliminary studies demonstrating that appropriately timed light exposure can improve nighttime sleep efficiency, reduce nocturnal wandering, and alleviate evening agitation. Other studies have not shown positive results. Therefore, LeadingAge NY is investigating whether there is a more appropriate type of lighting that would be more beneficial to ADRD patients. Lighting intervention will be delivered in the form of floor lamps or table lamps added to community areas and residents' rooms.

Some important considerations:

• The study seeks to recruit subjects in the Capital Region over the age of 65 diagnosed with mild to moderate ADRD (mini mental examination - MMSE - between 10 and 24). If a participant is deemed unable to sign their own consent by the facility physician, the next of kin or legal guardian will be asked to sign the consent form.
• There are two study protocols being conducted, with the first protocol lasting 14 weeks and the second protocol lasting approximately six months. The same subjects may participate in both protocols.
• Participants will be asked to wear a light measuring device (in the form of a pendant) and wrist actigraph (about the size of a small watch) for one-week time periods throughout the study.
• Staff will be asked to complete several questionnaires about the participant's sleep habits and moods at the beginning of the study and again at the end.
• Neither participants nor facility staff will receive any compensation.

Click here to read a recently published research article on the potential benefits of light therapy on sleep, depression and agitation in persons with dementia.

If you are a nursing home or assisted living facility interested in learning more about this study, contact Barbara Plitnick, RN at plitnb@rpi.edu (518-687-7166) or Linda Spokane at lspokane@leadingageny.org (518-867-8857).