reduction of smells in aged care facilities

Specialties Geriatric

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I have posted this in other areas - l am hoping to try and find some information on the following would appreciate your input.

Where l currently work we have a system of reducing the associated smells of urine and feaces that can be common in aged care settings and nursing homes.

We would like to research and evaulate other systems that people use to reduce any smells

I was wondering if any of you in this forum have any site you can recommend to read about methods of reducing the smells associated with this problem.

Thanking you in advance

Sandra

Specializes in MDS Coordinator, CWS.

Before you try anything, check your state's guidelines for LTC. Here in FL, there are only certain products you can use. I work in a brand new building, so we don't have this problem, yet. I did work for a corporation years ago that replaced the carpets every year! What are your housekeeping staff using? Do you have a Director of Environmental Services you could talk to? Not much help, am I? Good luck. dawn

The only place that we have carpet is on the administrative floor and our DON/ADON's office. Our administrator will not allow fufu sprays and we have a strict guidelines too. Very rarely are BSC allowed. It increases the risk for falls and residents getting oob w/o assist. Not to mention the smell that causes....All of our rooms have adjoining bathrooms. We have single rooms on both floor and double rooms both floors. The floors are mopped and buffed constantly. If we smell anything, it is eliminated immediatley. We espically monitor closely our shower rooms closely for odors. We have air filter machines in all public meeting places, in our offices and dinning rooms. Tex

Thank yo ufor your conrtibutions - Being in Australia we have different accreditation processes that impact on us

How do you manage you linen and continence aids smells

Thanks again

Tookie

Soiled linen & diapers (we use cloth) are bagged & placed in covered barrels in our dirty room. ImmedIf w/stool, we take them to a special room that is able to wash out the stool. No dirty/wet linens are to be left in the residents room. If the family does their laundry, then the residents have their own cloth hamper. Anything wet/soiled we rinse off, and bag them. Place in their own hamper.....Tex

Thanks Tex

Do you have a linen cart

And how do you manage accidents on the floor - we have carpet in our facility.

Tookie

Our linen carts have all of our clean linens, briefs/pads, blankets towel etc., I am sure like all LTC have. The cart is made out of PVC with all four sides having mesh flap w/ five shelves that the bottom is also strong mesh. Nothing is allowed on top of these carts, and flaps are to be down at all times. We have barrels in our dirty room and bagged/soiled items are placed in these, the lid has to cover, may not be overflowing )looks like a hugh trash can w/wheels. These barrels are emptied a min. of qs. We also have a linen closet on each floor, that the Cna's can stock up preparing for there shift. When I supervise on the week ends, if laundry hasn't sent back up to the floors needed linens etc. Then I will go to an area that is locked, and gather all new items needed. Again, carpet is only on the 4th floor-administrator and staff, and the only other place is our DON/ADON office. Tex

I just remember the name of that vile room deodorizer that gives me asthma attacks when someone goes nuts with it.

It's called Hex-on. It is marketed as an odour antagonizer. Really works (if used sparingly)

I work in an older facility, the floors are tile and are mopped/ buffed frequently. Each aide has a "barrel" A plastic lined mesh hamper with a lid that has a bag of plastic bags on the side. They move it down the hall as they work. The Laundry people come out about every two hours and empty them. We also have aerosol sprays...fruity scented ones...that we use as needed. One place I worked had automatic sprayers near the ceiling. I always had a coughing fit when they went off and I happened to be underneath. Always wondered how it actually affected the residents with respiratory diseases. We were assured that is was "perfectly safe", but I didn't believe it. :uhoh21:

Specializes in MS Home Health.

Try tranquility products for incontinence and in less than two weeks the smell will mostly be gone. If you want the number for a rep to call you and put you on a trial hall for free let me know. I used to be their educator in LTC before the eliminated the role.

renerian

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Specializes in Mostly LTC, some acute and some ER,.

We have little air fresheners that spray automaticly like every half hour or so. and our linen goes in bags and hosed off in the dirty room.

Specializes in MS Home Health.

Check out 1800gopeach.........

renerian

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