INSIGHTS FROM INDUSTRY
SAFEGUARDING POOR HYGIENE IN AGED CARE HOMES AN BUILT-IN SOLUTION COULD BE THE ANSWER
T
he global population is getting older and the economic impact of these changes is already well established. There is now immense pressure on healthcare facilities worldwide to accommodate the ever-increasing numbers of elderly patients. With care facilities and residential nursing homes caring for many vulnerable residents, the hygiene levels within these environments is critical. Shared eating and living spaces all increase the likelihood of microbial colonisation on surfaces. This often creates a breeding ground for harmful bacteria and viruses, and increases the risk of cross-contamination among residents, carers and visitors. The impact of COVID-19 has taught us that hygiene is one thing we need to get absolutely right.
How to Improve hygiene
No individual technology or strategy delivers the answer to the challenge of improving hygiene. Deploying a combination of the most effective technologies and strategies, such as regular handwashing, thorough cleaning routines and installing permanent antimicrobial treated surfaces, can help create a more robust hygienic solution to keep these environments as clean as possible. BioCote®, a company based in England, is leading the way in the field of antimicrobial additives which have been proven to deactivate a broad spectrum of bacteria, including MRSA. This technology is permanently bonded to products during the manufacturing process. In Scandinavia, the BioCote® technology is commonly applied to products such as nursing home basins, handrails and shower seats. The Scandinavians have found that antimicrobial additives help reduce touchpoint transmission on treated surfaces, creating a more hygienic bathroom environment. A wide range of these antimicrobial bathrooms have already been installed in several healthcare environments in Australia by Carekørp, a company that specialises in antimicrobial bathroom products.
Antimicrobial field study in aged care
As part of a BioCote® field study, a UK-based aged care home was part refurbished with antimicrobial treated products. Other areas within the same environment were fitted with comparable, yet standard untreated products. Both residencies were occupied throughout the study and cleaned by staff daily, with swabs taken over a period of five months. Throughout the study, all of the BioCote® antimicrobial protected products showed a significant reduction in bacteria when compared to their untreated counterparts—with an overall average of 95 per cent less bacteria in the treated environment versus the untreated environment. The BioCote® study suggests that the use of antimicrobial treated products can significantly reduce the levels of all common bacteria in an environment and can help minimise the risk of cross-contamination.
Clean your bathroom sink
Dr Richard Hastings, a microbiology expert, took multiple samples from objects and surfaces in a public disabled toilet and tested them for levels of bacteria and mould. Most people would assume that the toilet seat would be right at the top of the list for high levels of contamination, but the level of bacteria found on it was equal to that found on the hand rail and the tap. Topping the list was the basin itself which showed more than 50,000 Colony Forming Units (CFUs). The only object in the bathroom on which no traces of bacteria or mould were found was the soap dispenser which was manufactured incorporating BioCote® antimicrobial surface technology. Built-in measures that will to protect the health of residents in an ongoing way are certainly worth investigating. Tom Hartwright is Director, Carekorp.
For more information visit www.carekorp.com.au
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