Shedding light on accessible care

When you come into our waiting room, why are the lights off? Better lighting is one way that we can ensure our clinic is accessible for all clients and staff. 

The space you are walking into has large windows, with lots of natural light. We find that most people do not miss having overhead lighting here. By keeping the lights off, we can accommodate individuals who experience headaches, fatigue, sensory overload, vision problems, and sleep disruptions due to the bright fluorescent lights common in public spaces. 

This Invisible Disabilities week, we want to highlight some conditions that can contribute to light sensitivity (also called photophobia). It may be an aspect of more general hypersensitivity to sensory stimulation, and a symptom of any of the following: 

• Sensory Processing Disorders, prevalent for people with ADHD and Autistic people 

• Mental health conditions, like PTSD and generalized anxiety disorder 

• Chronic illnesses, like fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome 

• Traumatic brain injury 

• Chronic migraine 

• Vision impairment 

 Instead of using ambient lighting for a whole space, many ergonomic specialists and healthcare providers suggest illuminating specific areas to make a given task easier. Because each person has their own needs, regardless of whether they are doing the same task as another person, it is optimal to allow everyone to choose their lighting. For medical and safety reasons, we can’t do this throughout the whole clinic. We are researching options that will give clients individual control wherever possible though – in the waiting room, meeting with our client advocate, or taking a break in our restorative space.  

 If you require lighting changes or any other accommodations during your visit, let us know. We invite all clients to schedule a phone session with our client advocate to discuss accommodations in detail before you come in.  Call us at 647-370-3203!