Can a simple light reduce night falls in dementia patients?
NCT ID NCT05973448
First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tests whether special lights placed over doorways can help reduce nighttime falls in assisted living residents with Alzheimer's or related dementias. The lights are low-intensity and outline the bathroom or entry door, providing visual cues to improve balance. Researchers will follow 335 residents for one year, comparing fall rates when the lights are on versus when standard night lights are used.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- novel lighting system (horizontal and vertical lights over doorways)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this simple lighting system could help prevent dangerous falls at night for people with dementia living in assisted living facilities.
- What could go wrong
- This is a pragmatic trial testing a non-drug intervention, so the effect may be modest. Results depend on how well residents and staff adapt to the lights, and falls can have many causes beyond lighting.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599, United States
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