Nursing Home Care & the Risks of Infection: Issues to Consider

With advances in technology, the life expectancy for American adults has increased. For many of us, this means finding ways in which to ensure our care later in life is secure. For some of us, adult children and extended family will provide care while, for others, there will be a reliance upon independent care, including long term care facilities and nursing homes.

When considering what option is best for you, or even a loved one, it is important to weigh the options carefully as many times the final location of our care may ultimately determine the progress of our health.

One example of issue or concern is the risk for infection when placed into an assisted living, nursing home, long term care facility or even a retirement home. In contrast, these infections may not be as prevalent should you choose to live in the home of a family member. In fact, in recent years, there has been growing concern over the risk of infection among many nursing home clients.

Influenza viruses are a key focus of concern among all elderly adults. But, when living in a nursing home, there is a far greater risk for infection as many elderly adults are easily susceptible to infection and may, ultimately, suffer from complications associated with pneumonia.

When considering a nursing home as a setting for your care, or the care of a loved one, it is important to discuss the issues of infection and outbreak, especially in terms of highly contagious infections such as that found in the influenza virus. Because nearly 30 percent of the nursing home population is at risk for acquiring influenza from others, it is important that your nursing home have a measure in place to prevent such complications.

Prevention of influenza in the nursing home may come as a simple plan to administer flu vaccinations each year. But, in addition to vaccinations, it is also important to discuss the plans for quarantine and treatment when other clients of the nursing home become infected and how the nursing home intends to manage those infections to prevent the spread of disease. While this is important for all care facilities, it is especially important of nursing home residents where many are already suffering from pre-existing health complications that may weaken the immune system, thereby allowing for easier spread of infection and a greater risk for exposure.

When making consideration to any type of long term care, the key to finding the best type of a facility generally lies in what services are offered and what services the residents actually need. In terms of health care, it is important to find out what the nursing home has planned in terms of preventing infection from spreading and then what prevention programs and vaccinations programs are in place.