Luminous doorframe night lighting,
does it really help with Reduced nighttime falls among assisted-living residents with dementia?
research showsThe grade is D with 34 points. In a 38-person randomized crossover feasibility trial, camera-confirmed falls numbered 31 over 3,604 lighting nights and 61 over 4,271 standard-nightlight nights. The period-adjusted incidence-density ratio was 0.66 (95% CI 0.35 to 1.22; P=0.18), allowing both a large reduction and an increase. The small, early-stopped study was strongly influenced by one resident with 34 falls.
ads claimThis was not a generic motion-sensor lamp. The system placed 68 amber LEDs above and 140 on each side of the bathroom or entry doorframe, continuously operating from 7 pm to 7 am at no more than 0.5 lux at the cornea from two meters, with glare shields. No bundled fall-prevention program was reported.
Useful facts when choosing a product
- Control rooms used one standard 0.5-watt, 2700-K LED nightlight in the bedroom and one in the bathroom.
- All three sides operated throughout the night on only 75.4% of recorded lighting nights.
- The original Funding sources text states: “This work was supported by the National Institute on Aging (Grant R21AG059111).”
What the research actually shows
Residents were assigned to one of four sequences, `CCLL`, `CLLC`, `LCCL`, or `LLCC`, across planned 90-day periods. No washout was reported. Illumination has little biological persistence after switch-off, but behavior after a fall and progressive frailty can carry across periods. The model included period effects, but a separate calendar-season analysis was not reported. Researchers reviewed infrared video recorded from 7 pm to 7 am; a more detailed operational fall definition could not be confirmed in the accessible text.
Why this is classified as D (34)
A publicly funded crossover trial measured real falls, but its very small sample, attrition, early stopping, and wide interval give D with 34 points.
Counterpoint. Verdict 2310 is D with 34 points for hospital bed-exit alarms, verdict 2449 is C with 56 points for hospital nonslip socks, and verdict 2450 is C with 56 points for barefoot or sock-only mobility. Their interventions and settings differ from fixed low-level doorframe lighting in dementia care.
Rejudgment record. Cross-check applied — Real fall events but a very wide interval in a 38-person feasibility study with attrition and early stopping
| Endpoint | H | Hard endpoint - actual events such as death |
| Replication | R1 | Single confirmatory trial |
| Independence | I2 | Decisive evidence is publicly or non-profit funded |
| Effect size | E0 | Null |
| Precision | C0 | The confidence interval leaves room for benefit |
The scoring table and the verdict agree (D).
Sub-claim grades by effect
This ingredient is marketed for several effects. A single overall grade blends strong and weak claims together, so each effect is graded separately here. The overall grade reflects the strongest disconfirming or core claim.
| Effect (sub-claim) | Grade | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Reduction in nighttime falls among assisted-living residents with dementia | D | The point estimate favored fewer falls, but the 95% confidence interval included 1. |
Cross-check — Codex and Claude
Evidence Table
| Study | Design | Sample | Funding | Endpoint | Result | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Study 1 | Randomized crossover feasibility trial in assisted living | 7,875 | Original wording: “This work was supported by the National Institute on Aging (Grant R21AG059111).” | Falls confirmed on infrared video from 7 pm to 7 am | 31 falls over 3,604 nights versus 61 over 4,271; adjusted incidence-density ratio 0.66 (95% CI 0.35-1.22), P=0.18 | Exploratory single trial |
Receipt — 1 References
All 1 cited sources were verified for existence at the original page (as of 2026-08-08).
Reviewed and approved: Chamgap Editorial Team · Approval date: 2026-08-08 · Corrections: none
Cite this verdict
[Chamgap] Luminous doorframe night lighting x nighttime falls in dementia care — Evidence Grade D·34. 1 cited sources checked. Source: https://chamgap.com/en/verdicts/joint-bone/luminous-doorframe-night-light-dementia-falls/ · CC BY 4.0CC BY 4.0 — free to use with attribution; do not distort grades, numbers, or verdict meaning.
What this document does and does not do
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