Don't Let Hidden Pathogens Put Your Residents at Risk

Why Elderly Homes Should Prioritize Infection Control

Weakened Immune Systems

The proportion of those aged ≥85 years in Hong Kong elderly homes continue to rise. Senior people’s immune systems are less effective at fighting off infections. In addition, many elderly residents have chronic health conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, or respiratory illnesses, which can further compromise their immune systems and make them more vulnerable to infections.

Close Living Quarters

Elderly homes often have communal living spaces, such as shared dining areas, recreation rooms, and bathrooms. This close proximity makes it easier for infections to spread from one resident to another.

High-Touch Surfaces

Elderly homes have many high-touch surfaces, such as handrails, doorknobs, and medical equipment, which can harbor pathogens and facilitate their spread.

Serious Consequences

With an increasingly frail and ageing cohort of residents, the number of elderly residents with special care needs (such as those with indwelling urinary catheters or on nasogastric feeding) rises. They are more prone to contract infections and may require hospitalization, experience complications, or even face life-threatening situations. This underscores the importance of preventing infections in the first place.

Frequent Interactions

Caregivers and staff members in elderly homes have frequent close contact with residents, assisting with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating. This increases the risk of transmitting infections between staff and residents.

Reputational Risk

Outbreaks of infections in elderly homes can lead to negative publicity, damaging the facility's reputation and eroding trust among residents, families, and the community.

Based on an infection control study of residential care homes in Hong Kong, knowledge and skills on infection control have reached an adequate level and remained stable.

Future infection control training should aim to support sustained compliance with proper practice, through introduction of elements such as self-audits.

How IEH Assessment Contributes to Sustained Proper Practice

  • Protect Vulnerable Residents

    As one of the leading elderly care service providers, Chi Lin Elderly Care Centre and Elderly Homes utilizes IEH assessment to identify and eliminate pathogen reservoirs to break the chain of infection. By reducing the risk of outbreaks, our services contribute to a safer, healthier environment for the elderly residents, minimizing their exposure to harmful pathogens.

  • Lower Health Risks with Targeted Interventions

    Based on our findings from ATP and multiplex pathogen detection system, we helped Complexo de Serviços de Apoio ao Cidadão Sénior 'Retribuição’ in Macau to develop customized cleaning and disinfection protocols to address specific risk areas in their facility, demonstrating their commitment to their residents' well-being.

  • Compare and Benchmark Performance

    Continuous improvement in performance requires a scientific and continuous monitoring. Kato Home for the Elderly leveraged IEH assessment to conduct before-and-after comparison of cleaning and disinfection efficacy, equipping themselves with objective data to visualize cleanliness.