May
Colour Consultant – Ageing in Colour
. According to statistics, the median age (the age at which half the population is older and half is younger) of the Australian population is now 36.9 years — an increase of 5.3 years since the 1980s.
Of course this presents challenges to our government. These demographics have and will influence future policy on everything from the economic effects of an ageing labour force to increased demands on the health care system.
However, our ageing society also poses challenges to individuals. Increasingly, families are faced with needs of elderly relatives who want to remain in their own homes. As a result, their safety and comfort becomes a major concern.
It won’t come as much of a surprise that, as we age, our eyesight deteriorates. The lens thickens and yellows. It becomes less sensitive to colours with shorter wavelengths, such as blues and greens, and finds reds and oranges – which have longer wavelengths – easier to see. As a result, our ageing parents may find it more difficult to distinguish their pale blue walls from the green and blue carpet. This may lead to falls and almost certainly will cause them confusion and apprehension.