Pilot Study to Examine Health Effects of Daylight Exposure on Dementia Patients

Exposure to sufficient daylight indoors is a novel and potentially effective
nonpharmacological treatment option for reducing depression and other neuropsychiatric
symptoms for people living with dementia in long term care facilities. However, there are
currently no minimum requirements for daylight access in care facilities. In urban settings,
it is common for residents to spend the majority of the day indoors, illuminated by
electrical light sources that deliver light with significantly lower intensities and reduced
spectrum compared with daylight.

A 12-week pilot study was conducted in 8 dementia care facilities involving (n = 83)
participants addressing the hypothesis that an intervention increasing indoor exposure to
daylight will reduce depression and other neuropsychiatric symptoms. At 4 facilities, staff
was enlisted to increase daylight exposure by taking participants to a perimeter room with
daylight exposure for socialization in the morning (8:00 - 10:00 AM) each day. At the other 4
facilities, a control group were taken to a similar sized area without daylight for
socialization under typical electrical lighting conditions. Outcome measures for depression
and other neuropsychiatric symptoms were taken at the beginning and end of the 12-week study.

Inclusion Criteria:

- Residents were recruited according to the trial inclusion criteria: 1) Alzheimer's
disease and related dementias (ADRD) diagnosis, 2) no physical co-morbidities that
precluded participation in the daily group intervention, and 3) a Mini-Mental State
Exam (MMSE) score of 10 or higher

Exclusion Criteria:

- physical co-morbidities that precluded participation in the daily group intervention