Health Risks in Senior Housing

You probably know about superbugs. That’s the name for bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics. There have been widespread reports that superbugs are likely to be found in hospitals. But a recent study found that superbugs are very likely to be found in residences for the elderly, such as nursing homes. That means anyone who is in one of these facilities is more vulnerable and exposed than he or she would be elsewhere. The best defense, if you can’t avoid entering a senior residence, is to ask the residence what its policies are to prevent the spread of superbugs.

In the meantime, scientists are beginning to recognize the role nursing homes can play in the struggle to control the spread of these deadly pathogens. The ECDC, which is funding a project on surveillance and control of infections in health-care facilities, including for antimicrobial resistance, published an article online in August that lays out indicators for control in long-term care facilities in more than 30 countries.

Many nursing homes are taking heed. At the 33 senior living communities run by Emeritus Corp. (ERC) across North America, for example, guidelines regulate everything from how employees clean bedside commodes to handling all linen “as if it were highly infectious.” Each home has its own infection-control committee, which meets monthly.