Installation of night light in homes and sensor lights in organisations in support of the elderly : An open proposal to Lawrence Wong, MND Minister & Masagos, NEA Minister

Certain health issues can increase the risk of falling and these include leg weakness, mobility problems, and balance issues. These are very common problems which many of our seniors face as age catches up on them.

With the steep increase in water and electricity bills, homes and organisations now need to cut down on water and electricity consumptions. 

While the HDB has taken positive steps to improve the safety features in housing estates to prevent the elderly from injury by installing hand bar grips and non-slip tiles in toilets, there is also a dire need to ensure that seniors do not grope in the dark while visiting the toilet at night.

 In other places when lights are not turned on at night or the early hours of the morning, such as in churches, there is a high risk of seniors with mobility problems falling down. We must take concreate measures to prevent this from happening.

In ‘light’ of this, I propose that a night light be installed at bedrooms so that the moment seniors wake up at night to go to the toilet or kitchen, he/she will not fall as visibility is clear.  A night light  switched on does not consume much electricity even if the light is on most part of the night.

In malls or places where there are 24-hour services, such as hotels or eating houses, installing such sensors saves the owners a bundle on electricity bills

In other places such as in columbariums at churches, a sensor light should be installed so that relatives who go there to pray will not fall down as they grope in the dark.

I fell down twice in my church around 6.15am while praying to my late wife and sister at the columbarium. Here the lights are only turned on at 6.30am.

The light comes on the moment someone enters and this way, electricity bills will not rise.  Praying is crucial for all who practice a faith, but more so for those who have lost their loves ones and trying to cope with grief.  No one should have to pray in the dark.


Automated lighting that turns on only when someone enters the room is definitely cost saving.

 

RAYMOND ANTHONY FERNANDO