Elders are admitted to nursing facilities for various reasons. In many cases, they are brought to these facilities because their loved ones trust that they will get the attention and care they need. 

Nursing homes or skilled nursing facilities (SNF) are institutions that provide residential care for the elderly or disabled. Here, the residents are well monitored and taken care of every day.

In the US, falls are the leading cause of death and injuries in adults over 65. This is because older adults tend to have frailer bones and weaker bodies. Nursing homes ensure stability for elders by providing a safe environment, support, and assistive equipment.

“Nursing home cleaning” refers to the sanitation of nursing facilities. The process must be thorough, as older adults have weaker immune systems and should not be exposed to germs or harsh cleaning chemicals.

Why Seniors Need a Clean Environment

It Offers Psychological Benefits 

Moving to a nursing facility isn’t always pleasant for seniors. They may feel a sense of abandonment, especially by their immediate families. A clean and serene area can help them adjust to this new space.

Nursing homes recreate a typical home-style structure to help residents relax and feel at home. The serenity can help to balance out the negative emotions they may feel.

Nursing Home Cleaning Keeps Diseases at Bay

A neat space is important for people of all ages. But for the elderly, it can mean a lot more.

Sometimes older adults admitted to nursing homes are already ill and in need of constant care. Tidy environments can help give them a sense of stability.

A clean facility can aid the symptoms of already-ill elders and may help nurse them back to health.

Benefits of Outsourcing Nursing Home Cleaning

At nursing home facilities, it is not uncommon for residents to have medical emergencies. These span from illnesses to sudden death and unattended death situations.

If handled improperly, such situations put residents at risk of illness due to biohazard exposure.

Due to the delicate nature of nursing home facilities, professional cleaning is better suited to handle trauma restoration and biohazard cleanup. 

Regular cleaners are ill-equipped for such thorough cleaning, and they may inadvertently cross-contaminate by reusing cloths or mops across rooms. Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a drug-resistant pathogen, is easily spread in this way. MRSA is a common bacteria found in nursing facilities. It can spread when a resident comes in contact with the bacteria.

Professional cleaners use special equipment and no-touch systems to avoid cross-contamination. Also, they utilize safe sanitizers to conduct their work. This helps to protect the health of residents from potential hazards and harsh chemicals. This equipment is not readily available to everyday people.

Nursing Home Cleaning

A nursing home should be as germ-free as possible. You must take extra steps to avoid cross-contamination as it can compromise a senior’s health. Here are a few hygienic tips to use in a nursing home:

Wash Your Hands Often

Washing your hands regularly is a great tactic to prevent exposing your loved one to disease or aiding cross-contamination. Bacteria spread fast, so ensure that you and other people in the household wash your hands:

• Before and after touching your loved one
• After touching a new surface
• Before contact with clean laundry
• After contact with dirty laundry

Routinely Clean Floors and Surfaces

Floors, counters, knobs and other high-touch surfaces can house germs and harmful bacteria. High-touch surfaces are areas that people frequently touch with their hands. 

Contact with these areas can expose your loved ones to contaminants and potentially risk their health.

Ensure that you clean these surfaces daily with safe chemicals to avoid any negative health effects.

Clean Personal Items and Wash Clothes 

With age, older adults may experience incontinence. 

For this reason, personal belongings and clothing items must be washed often. If neglected, these items can house harmful germs and bacteria.

The right kind of professional cleaners can tackle nursing home cleaning. They have better equipment and more training than domestic cleaners. Hence, outsourcing the job is safer and more effective. 

If you are considering professional nursing home cleaning, reach out to us at ONEighty Solutions. We’re always happy to help!