Aged Care

From acute disability care, residential and retirement living to hospitals and doctor’s surgeries, providing good hygiene is a sign of respect and of utmost importance as these facilities are the ideal environment for dangerous outbreaks of communicable diseases.

A common challenge in aged care facilities is overcrowding. With large numbers of residents, often in close proximity to each other, there is an increased potential for infections to spread due to the sharing of eating and living resources.

This is also often exacerbated by the fact that residents can often have an increased susceptibility of infections due to:

• Age
• Weak immune systems
• Poor nutrition
• Existing medical conditions
• Antibiotic medication
• Incontinence
• Medical devices such as catheters and feeding tubes
• Skin ailments

In order to help prevent the spread of communicable diseases, aged care facilities need to ensure hygiene standards are adhered to and applied throughout the premises. This includes a regular cleaning regime as well as sterilisation of medical equipment, surfaces and floors. The risk of diseases can also be further reduced by utilising the correct protective clothing such as medical gloves, and the implementation of proper hand hygiene practices. Necessary measures need to be put in place to reduce exposure of sick residents to communal areas, as well as other patients who might be at risk.

Healthcare Associated Infections (HCAIs)

Healthcare Associated Infection (HCAIs) are a range of infections known to spread in hospitals and aged care facilities as a result of poor hygiene during healthcare interventions. HCAIs not only cause additional distress but often come at a high cost for patients and their families.

Good hand hygiene is one of the most effective measure for preventing Healthcare Associated Infection (HCAIs). However, many studies show that adherence to recommended hand hygiene practice has been unacceptably low for aged care workers, presenting numerous risks to patients.