Noise Control
Reducing noise pollution is important because it has been shown that this can lead to improved health through decreases in blood pressure, heart disease, ulcers, and headaches. It is increasingly difficult for people to distinguish between focal and background noise as they age.
Here are some suggestions to help make it easier:
- An acoustical ceiling should be used; lowering ceiling heights to decrease free space can also help in reducing background noise.
- Carpeting can be used to absorb noise. Deep pile carpeting should not be used for reasons of mobility and safety.
- Woven-textured wall coverings and woven-fabric vertical blinds have some acoustical properties and help to absorb noise.
- Upholstered furniture should be used to absorb noise; for concerns of incontinence in the elderly, chairs can be upholstered in a vinylized cotton fabric.
- Telephones should have high-frequency volume controls or flashing lights for the hearing-impaired, as well as large numbers and buttons for the visually-impaired.
- Televisions should have an adjustable bass, as older people hear bass sounds more easily and may not require as high a proportion of it.
- An exhaust fan should have its own switch, separate from the light switch, to decrease unnecessary noise.
- Lecture or activity areas should include a sound system for supplemental amplification. One voice may easily disappear into background noise.
See the sections on cues, safety and mobility for information related to noise control.
Further reading on the topic of noise control can be found in:Creating a Functional Environment. Author: Elizabeth Mary Hughes. The Journal ofLong-Term Care Administration, Spring 1993, pp. 12-15.
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