Essay Example on Assisted Living: 4M+ Patients Annually Seek Care for Memory Disorders

Introduction

Assisted living facilities offer care to either people with disabilities or the elderly. These services are for either medical or personal care. According to the Centres for Disease and Prevention, more than four million people check into nursing homes annually. These patients seek special and close medical monitoring that is not available in hospitals and private homes. The majority of these patients suffer from memory disorders such as dementia. Patients may as well be recovering from an intense surgery. According to the National Nursing Home Survey, in 2004, there were more than fifteen thousand nursing facilities in America (Jones et al., 2009). According to the CDC, there is an average of three million infections annually within nursing facilities (Giannella et al., 2016). The infections include urinary tract infections, antibiotic-resistant infections, diarrhea, soft tissue diseases, and skin diseases. These infections account for more than 350,000 of the deaths within nursing homes annually(Bivens, 2017). The following paper analyses the reasons for these infections and solutions.

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Context For Infections

According to the 2004 Nursing Home Survey, more than two percent of nursing home patients suffer from pneumonia while the rate of infection of urinary tract infections is almost six percent of the total population (Jones et al., 2009). Pneumonia is a leading killer in nursing homes. Additionally, it accounts for the majority of hospital admissions from nursing homes with more than fifteen percent. The most vulnerable patients are those that have feeding tubes. To compound the matter, diagnosis of infections, respiratory infections in the older generation is severe. Influenza and flu are also common in nursing homes despite the use of vaccines (Dimant, 2005). Additionally, UTI affects all patients with indwelling catheters.

Due to the immobile nature of most nursing home patients, dental hygiene is poor, hence creating a suitable environment for the growth of bacteria that cause pneumonia (Scannapieco & Cantos, 2016). Additionally, most occupants of nursing homes are old, with a weak immune system. This status ensures that they are easily susceptible to infections. Moreover, indwelling machines such as catheters and feeding tubes predispose them to infections. The majority of nursing home patients have UTI symptoms (Nicolle, 2014). Inadequate production of gastric juice due to age influences patients to diarrhea diseases such as gastroenteritis. Furthermore, poor diet, few movements, and low mental capacity predispose patients to pressure ulcers.

Impact Of Infections

Nursing home admissions will grow in the coming years. However, this population is more prone to diseases; therefore, infections within the nursing homes will soar. The Netherlands reported the growth of viruses in its nursing facilities from 6.7% in 2007 to more than 7.5% in 2009 (Havelaar et al., 2012). Therefore, these infections will result in more deaths, frequent hospital readmissions, long periods in hospitals, and economic losses for both patients and health service providers.

Significance Of Preventing Infections

Due to the close living quarters that offer minimal room for exercise, fresh air, and social distancing, the spread of infections is rampant in nursing homes. Hence the need to seek alternative means of keeping diseases low and improving the quality of life for the patients. Additionally, the majority of nursing home patients have active wounds due to devices such as catheters, which predispose them to infections. Furthermore, some patients cannot control their bowel movements. Due to the patients' reduced mobility, they may suffer from skin rashes without appropriate action.

Solutions To Reduce Infections

Nursing homes should ensure surfaces are cleaned regularly. Therefore, cleaning should be at intervals of maybe an hour with emphasis on the living areas, sleeping quarters, and washrooms. Regular cleaning ensures that bacteria do not settle down and multiply while also ensuring that patients are not exposed to the bacteria. Additionally, the medical staff should ensure that soiled clothes and bandages are disposed of off immediately and appropriately to avoid infection of patients and staff.

Nursing home residents should wash their hands regularly using soap and running water or hand sanitizers. This process is essential, especially after using the bathroom, before eating and after touching anything. The intention is to minimize bacteria transition within the nursing homes. However, staff will assist patients with cognitive and mobility problems. Cleaning hands is an effective and efficient means of reducing infections.

Additionally, patients will desist from sharing personal effects such as toothbrushes to minimize the transmission of infections. Likewise, patients will receive personal effects such as toothbrushes and tissues to reduce the risk of sharing the devices. Medical personnel should ensure that they dress patient bandages appropriately and on time to minimize the likelihood of patients doing the same. The staff will also wash their hands regularly to avoid infecting patients and spreading infections among patients as well.

To avoid developing antibiotic-resistant infections, residents will have to take the appropriate dosage of medicine. To enhance this, it is advisable for all medication to be kept under the watch of the staff. They will be administering the medicine hence enabling them to monitor the progress of the patients. Visitors will also have to wash their hands regularly within the facility and wear appropriate attire when visiting patients susceptible to viral infections.

Nursing homes cater to some of the most vulnerable members of society. Inadequate care leads to hospital visits and deaths. However, the use of simple techniques such as washing hands, appropriate use of medication, and regular cleaning of the facility minimizes the spread of infections.

References

Bivens, L. (2017). Basic health care series: Sexually transmitted diseases (STD). Vij Books India Pvt.

Dimant, J. (2005). Bariatric programs in nursing homes. Clinics in Geriatric Medicine, 21(4), 767-792. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cger.2005.06.006

Giannella, M., Tedeschi, S., Bartoletti, M., & Viale, P. (2016). Prevention of infections in nursing homes: Antibiotic prophylaxis versus infection control and antimicrobial stewardship measures. Expert Review of Anti-infective Therapy, 14(2), 219-230. https://doi.org/10.1586/14787210.2016.1132161

Havelaar, A. H., Haagsma, J. A., Mangen, M. J., Kemmeren, J. M., Verhoef, L. P., Vijgen, S. M., Wilson, M., Friesema, I. H., Kortbeek, L. M., Van Duynhoven, Y. T., & Van Pelt, W. (2012). Disease burden of foodborne pathogens in The Netherlands, 2009. International Journal of Food Microbiology, 156(3), 231-238. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2012.03.029

Jones, A. L., Dwyer, L. L., Bercovitz, A. R., & Strahan, G. W. (2009). The national nursing home survey: 2004 overview. PsycEXTRA Dataset. https://doi.org/10.1037/e565222009-001

Nicolle, L. E. (2014). undefined. Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control, 3(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/2047-2994-3-23

Scannapieco, F. A., & Cantos, A. (2016). Oral inflammation and infection, and chronic medical diseases: Implications for the elderly. Periodontology 2000, 72(1), 153-175. https://doi.org/10.1111/prd.12129