healing environments in radiotherapy - Agnes van den Berg

Healing Environments in Radiotherapy Project Report
Furthermore, uniform lighting that eliminates shadows should be avoided, as shadows help define
the three-dimensionality of items. Shadows make an environment ‘feel’ more natural, and therefore
contribute to a sense of normality (Coalition for Health Environment Research, 2004). On the other
hand, extreme shadows should be avoided because they might be disturbing to patients and limit
effectiveness of healthcare delivery (Mahnke, 1996).
Lighting can also be used to enhance the natural, homely feel of the hospital. For example, St.
Charles Medical Center uses indirect lightning, table lamps and shimmering lamps. This is the kind of
lighting you can find at home, which differs a lot from lighting at offices and public buildings. The
picture below shows a table lamp at UMC Groningen which combines elements of art and homely
atmosphere (figure 10). In the mid 90s, fluorescent lamps that simulate natural daylight were
advertised as a solution to indoor lighting issues, supposedly enabling people to “feel better, be more
alert, see better, and perform better” (Veitch, 1997). However, studies have as yet been unable to
demonstrate positive effects of this so called full-spectrum light on mood (van den Berg, 2005).
© KuiperCompagnions
Figure 9: Artful table lamp at UMC Groningen
Natural daylight, on the other hand, is often reported more beneficial than electric light for
psychological comfort (Devlin & Arneill, 2003; Boyce et al., 2003). One study has shown that 73% of
the respondents thought natural daylight was better for health than electric lighting (Heerwagen &
Heerwagen, 1986; Van den Berg, 2005). Another study indicates that patients who are exposed to
increased amounts of natural sunlight during the recovery period after surgery experience less stress
and pain, use less analgesic medication, and produce less pain medication costs (Walch et al., 2005).
Besides, daylight also affects levels of alertness during the day (Laurance, 2005). One expert, G.van
Lagen from Casa Terra, points out that “there should be sufficient natural light from outside, so
people do not feel locked up and can wander off with their eyes or thoughts”, which indicates that
the provision of natural daylight also has an added bonus of offering distraction for patients.
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