CLEANING & HYGIENE
"According to WHO, staff should wash their hands
before and after touching a resident, before any aseptic procedure and
after exposure to bodily fluids."
Mild soaps and soſt hand towels are ideal in the care home because these will be kind to the frequently-washed hands of staff while also being a gentle solution for the delicate skin of the elderly.
Foam soaps are a good choice because they are quick to lather and easy to use – particularly when supplied in a user-friendly dispenser. The Tork Foam Soap Dispenser, for example, has been developed to have a particularly low push force which makes it highly accessible for the frail and elderly, which is why the dispenser has been given the seal of approval by the Swedish Rheumatism Association. Tork Foam Soap is available in an Extra Mild version which is ideal for frequent hand washing and for delicate skin.
Tork Xpress Hand Towels are particularly appropriate for care homes because the dispenser gives out towels one at a time to prevent the risk of cross-contamination. The Extra Soſt version of the towels is kind to the hands and will prevent any abrasion or chapping on the part of the user.
Where soap and hand towels are supplied in dispensers, these can present a problem for visually-impaired residents because it is not always easy to spot a white dispenser mounted on pastel-coloured tiles. Dispensers should therefore be supplied in a contrasting colour to make them stand out against the wall. Tork Elevation dispensers, for example, come in a black housing to contrast with the pale colours oſten chosen for washroom tiles.
The number of wash basins supplied in a care home will inevitably be limited by the plumbing system, so hand sanitiser units should be supplied to supplement hand washing. These should be prominently displayed to act as a timely prompt for residents, visitors and members of staff to cleanse their hands. The Tork Alcohol Hand Sanitiser is
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available in the Tork Hygiene Stand, a freestanding unit on which hand hygiene messaging can be displayed. This serves as an important reminder about the need for hand hygiene.
Norovirus is one of the most frequent causes of gastroenteritis outbreaks in the care home. The Norovirus can be particularly virulent and sufferers should ideally be isolated from other residents for at least 48 hours, according to NHS recommendations. They should also be housed in a single room until they are symptom-free and should use separate towels - and where possible, their own toilet as well. The home may also need to stop admissions until the outbreak is over.
Alcohol hand sanitisers are ineffective against the Norovirus, so hand washing is vital during an outbreak to protect residents and staff and to prevent the transmission of the illness.
The importance of hand hygiene should be obvious to all. And when a major outbreak occurs such as the coronavirus, all health bodies begin to ram home the hand washing message at every opportunity.
However, good hand hygiene is not just for healthcare workers and for members of the public fearful of picking up the latest virulent illness. Any stray germ entering the care home will quickly multiply and spread among vulnerable residents - and any resulting illness could prove fatal.
So the WHO “Save Lives: Clean your hands” message should be taken literally in the care home environment and good hand hygiene protocols should be observed by everyone at all times.
www.tork.co.uk - 15 -
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