Senior Communites Are Highly Susceptible to Illnesses.

Elderly communities, such as retirement and assisted livings, provide seniors with twenty-four hour service need it be medical assistance or leisurely entertainment. Often, these communities will house a large number of different residents ranging in age and disabilities. Recent studies have shown that these senior facilities have had a recent growth of communicable diseases and illnesses among seniors that reside in these communities. With shared common areas and proximity, it is not rare for a resident to pass along any germs or illnesses to another neighboring resident.

Senior communities provide residents with care from licensed nursing staff. Each community operates health services through a director of nursing. These directors are to inform staff of communicable diseases and illnesses that can be passed from resident to resident or even staff and visitors. Seniors in these communities are typically women aged eighty-five plus, although men and different ranges of ages reside in these facilities as well. All incoming residents must come into the community with a release from the last hospital they were admitted to, also known as an 1823. An 1823 informs the staff of any existing medical illnesses or any outstanding medical history. Typically, residents will often be welcomed into communities by encouragement of participating in actives and eating amongst other residents in a common dining area.  With a weaker immune system, these residents can often pick up germs and viruses floating around the community; whether it be by coughing in proximity to one another, or touching fouled items. These facilities must stress to employees and visitors that it vital to always keep a clean atmospheres for these communities and to always wash hands and cover a cough.

 

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