Optimising laundry management in aged care Infection control is imperative in aged care so the correct handling of laundry is essential. Aged Care New Zealand Issue 02 2022 There is a considerable pressure on aged care residence administrators to manage the large volume of laundry items that must be consistently cleaned in accordance with strict health and safety procedures. Infection control is imperative in aged care, so the correct handling of laundry is essential. The aged care sector recognizes the risks associated with laundry and uses complex procedures for handling them while providing a continuous supply of clean laundry. The many items that require laundering in an aged care settings can include sheets, blankets, towels, quilts, curtains, table linen, kitchen cloths, residents’ clothing, the appropriate hygiene standards in laundering these items must always be maintained. Safe handling protocols are also crucial, and staff must be trained accordingly. These procedures include making sure the appropriate PPE is worn by staff who handle soiled textiles and linen to protect them and to prevent further transfer. All soiled linen and clothing, especially towels and bedding can host a vast variety of bacterial species that put people at risk, particularly the more vulnerable aged care residents. Bedding is a prime environment for the growth of bacteria and viruses. Body sweat, saliva and dead skin cells provide the perfect conditions for bacteria and viruses to flourish. Many are dangerous such as staphylococcus, E. coli, gastroenteritis and influenza. Improper laundering can spread these germs from one laundry item to another. It can be overwhelming to manage all the difficulties of maintaining laundry supplies to comply with standards. Managers must combat rising production costs and the increased strain on staff to follow the rigorous procedures that prevent cross infection and ensure compliance with AS/NZS 4146:2000. However, many of the difficulties in managing laundry on site in an aged care setting can be circumvented by outsourcing the work to specialized laundry services. Costs and productivity Outsourcing laundry services can reduce facility costs and improve productivity, allowing managers to focus on core objectives rather than the enormous tasks of laundry work. There is a considerable amount of specialized training required for on site laundry staff. This can be expensive, especially if there is a high turnover rate of staff. An outsourced laundry service reduces the need to train staff on laundry processes except for its safe collection and storage. It also eases some of the management stress caused by unexpected staff absences. An outsourced laundry service also liberates the space that would otherwise be needed on site for a laundry room and associated machine repair space. Space is also saved with the smaller amount of linen storage required. There is no need to hold excess stocks for seasonal peaks as additional items can be ordered when necessary. Regular stock controls by the commercial laundry service ensures that the aged care residence always has the optimum level of stock. Equipment and space When operating a laundry on site in aged care residences, management is faced with investing in expensive commercial laundry equipment and keeping up repairs and maintenance to maintain a constant supply of clean laundry in accordance with standards. Aged care residence managers also must consider the extra water consumption, electricity bills and the expense of laundry detergents and chemicals. Outsourcing the laundry service bypasses these expenses and disruptions. When machine breakdowns occur, the supply to the aged care residence continues with the commercial laundry’s back-up machines and extra linen stock. In this way identifying and rectifying equipment productivity failure is all efficiently managed by the commercial laundry. Commercial laundry services often have a guaranteed, reliable daily service. Many of the commercial laundry services in New Zealand have fleets of vehicles for efficient and reliable transportation of laundry to and from aged care premises. It is far more efficient to have the laundry service collect soiled items, hygienically launder and maintain them and deliver fresh linen on an agreed schedule. Specialist laundry services can automate stock procedures with meticulous tracking of laundry items to optimize the management of these assets in aged care communities. With the use of radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags, items can be tracked from collection to delivery to ensure nothing is lost. The technology turns linen management into a well organised process to avoid product shortages and overstocking by effortlessly tracking stock quantities. Overall benefits By outsourcing, laundry management becomes a more efficient, value-orientated process. Here are some of the key benefits of outsourcing laundry:
A reliable laundry service can streamline the laundry process for aged care residential communities. It can help to cut costs, improve efficiency, and raise productivity and aged care residence managers can convert time-consuming inefficient processes into efficient value-orientated procedures. Ref: Aged Care Issue 02 2022 Don't leave Fido at home For those having a hard time with their health, feeling lonely or in want of an unbiased listening ear, an animal can be a balm to the soul. So how can the smallest and softest on this planet make an impact on the oldest and toughest among us? And how can animals be included in the day to day lives of those in Aged Care and Independent Living and Retirement Villages across NZ? Who can resist petting a soft, fluffy animal? I’d wager that the soulful eyes of a cute pooch could soften the heart to even the crankiest human. In fact, studies show that just 15 minutes with a dog, cat, or other animal can increase brain activity and serotonin levels in seniors. Being able to bring a pet with you can be a make or break for people choosing to leave their own home in the community and relocate to a village. For those who are widowed, their pet is more than just an animal. It’s their sole form of day-to-day company. For people who aren’t so interested in being socially engaged, it can be even better than a human. Are all villages on board with bringing pets along? One of the reasons John (name changed) settled on his Retirement Village was that he could bring his feline friend Mittens (name changed) along, when he moved in with his wife from their large family home to a more sensibly sized independent living townhouse. Mittens had more or less chosen to move in with John some years before, after abandoning her owners for the affection and food on offer at his house. Although feisty at times, John and Mittens became good buddies, especially appreciated when his wife was away. Not keen to leave his home, John agreed to move eventually as long as Mittens was in tow. Ryman Healthcare allows residents who live independently to have pets, so when someone is moving in and wants to bring a pet, they meet the manager to ensure they are appropriate, and then get written into the contract. John’s townhouse has a convenient cat flap, and his neighbours also keep cats. In fact their shared love of feline company encouraged fresh friendships with those around him as they chatted about their animals. So in what capacity can animals be found in villages? There are recent heart-warming stories of cats adopting villages. As we all know, cats have staff, not owners so it makes sense that they like to choose their own abode. During the covid lockdown of 2020, Coco the cat chose to move into Rita Angus Retirement Village in Wellington. Cruising the hallways during the day, Coco enjoys plenty of attention from the residents and she’s totally charmed the security guards. Bella is the Maygrove Hospital cat. By day she’ll snooze in the office, by night she roams the hospital. Night staff make sure she is fed, but she still tries her luck with getting extra from the day staff – especially a creamy treat! Another cat who’s cottoned on to the benefits of retirement village living is Digby who arrived at Wairarapa Village in Masterton with his owner. Eventually his owner passed away and Digby was adopted by the village, who now keeps an HR file on Digby. The feline resident does daily rounds of the occupants and happily rests in their gardens. If a facility won’t allow your traditional cat or dog (or fish or parrot) – are there other options? One of the most unusual surfaced back in 2014. The NZ Herald reported on Auckland’s Selwyn Heights retirement village who had purchased four robot seals known as “Paro” for residents to interact with. A trial carried out at the facility found residents were less lonely and more engaged after sessions with Paro. Could robots have a future in healthcare? Robotic animal love could bring a faux version of physiological benefits similar to the real things but without the ongoing inconvenience of buying food or taking them outdoors for a walk on a rainy day. There may be an untapped target group for the likes of FurReal Friends Pets Toys -if they can stimulate the brain of a growing kid, then why can’t a robotic seal help lower blood pressure and improve Grandad’s day? If you live in a village where they have a non-replacement pet policy and your fur-child passes on, what other options are there for bringing a fluff-bomb of love to your doorstep? Maygrove Village in Orewa allows residents to have a pet as long as it is not a nuisance to others, fully vaccinated and leashed in common areas, but they have also had a positive experience with therapy animals. The hospital on site has pet therapy visits as well as a resident cat who lives there. Toni Hatton, Assistant Manager at Maygrove says “The pet visits are incredible. We even have a horse called Peanut who visits sometimes. She’s great in the lift, well toilet trained but does not like to get back in her float to leave, she would rather graze on our lush lawns! The hospital/palliative residents just adore her” – Peanut isn’t the only horse being kept busy with animals. Tyson the therapy horse visits the elderly and terminal patients in the Tasman district and provides a quiet connection to people when no words are needed. Originally Tyson would stand outside but graduated indoors to visit those too sick to venture out of their rooms. An organisation who offers beneficial animal encounters is Canine Friends Pet Therapy. They specialise in pet therapy by facilitating canine visits at hundreds of retirement homes, hospitals, hospices, universities and even businesses across New Zealand. As the name implies, they specialise in therapy dogs and aren’t picky about size or breed, but the dogs do need to pass an assessment before being accepted into the programme It's a basic concept, patting a pet = good for us! But overseas in England they’ve taken it one step further with a more innovative approach than just a few pats to a furry face, and it’s something that could easily be taken up here in Aotearoa, particularly now that eggs are at a premium. ‘HenPower’ brings together older people and hen-keeping to combat loneliness and depression and improve wellbeing. Found in more than 40 care homes, HenPower creatively ‘hengages’ older people in arts activities and hen-keeping to promote health, wellbeing and reduce loneliness. So, if you’re looking to move into a Retirement Village and want to bring Rover don’t assume it’s a no-go. Check your top choice is a pet welcoming facility, and, importantly, what their replacement policy is for pets. If Rover dies, can you have another Rover Jnr? If not, talk to your activities manager about pet therapy visits, or if that fails maybe you’ll be in luck and they’ll buy some robotic pups (or real life hens) to pat. Ref: Aged Advisor NZ NZ’s Best Magazine Under pressure: The science behind weighted blankets and stress relief The idea is simple: the pressure of the blanket simulates the feeling of receiving a hug. From Aged Care New Zealand Issue 02 2022 Simple yet effective, the weighted blanket is an impressive innovation in relieving anxiety and symptoms of other conditions. The idea behind it is simple: the pressure of the blanket simulates the feeling of receiving a hug. For many weighted blanket users, this leads to relief and calmness. But this innovation is far from new. In the 1980s, Temple Grandin, a scientist and animal behaviourist, discovered the benefits of pressure sensation. To make the beef industry more humane, Grandin observed that frightened cows would regain calm after being pushed tightly into a squeeze chute, for example. From these observations, she went on to develop a hug machine that duplicated this calming pressure. This was the first developed to ease the symptoms of autism, a diagnosis that Temple Grandin shares. Recently, there has been a resurgence of interest in this sensory therapy modality, with weighted blankets becoming popular in the mainstream. Let’s look at everything you need to know about weighted blankets – and if you could benefit from using one. What is a weighted blanket? A weighted blanket is a therapeutic tool similar to a conventional blanket in all but its weight. Often, they weigh anywhere from 2kg to 13kg. The blanket is often filled with glass beads or plastic pallets. The concept? The blanket is heavy enough to exert pressure on you much like getting a long-lasting hug after a rough day. Who can use a weighted blanket? The short answer? Anyone can use a weighted blanket. Regarding more specific use cases, occupational therapists who work with kids tend to use weighted blankets as a treatment option for sensory activities. This can include various conditions such as autism or attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD). This easy-to-use tool may also help with the following:
Recent research efforts have focused on better understanding the mechanism of weighted blanket therapy for relieving the symptoms of the conditions mentioned above. In 2020, Swedish researchers conducted a study to determine facets of that effectiveness. They found that weighted blankets improved sleep among people with ADHD, generalised anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, and depressive disorder. So how do they work? The mechanism of how weighted blankets work is not well studied or understood currently. Weighted blankets are used in therapy as part of the sensory integration therapy model. This model is based on integrating inputs from two systems:
The main benefits of using a weighted blanket provide security and comfort Swaddling a newborn baby helps them sleep soundly at night, and this is because of the sense of security the tight swaddle provides. A weighted blanket works under a similar principle, helping you sleep securely and comfortably throughout the night. Reduce stress and anxiety levels Stress and anxiety are the most significant contributors to interrupted sleep. Constant worry and fear make it hard to fall asleep during the night. In turn, sleep deprivation can aggravate an individual’s anxiety levels – so it’s essentially a vicious cycle. A weighted blanket helps by applying pressure to soothe your anxiety and help you rest. Improve sleep quality Some research studies have demonstrated the benefit of weighted blankets on improving sleep and reducing the impact of insomnia. The mechanism behind this is not yet known. However, it is thought to be mediated by serotonin, cortisol, and melatonin hormones. The pressure created by the blanket’s weight can go a long way toward improving your overall sleep quality. Calm the nervous system Weighted blankets help restore calm in your nervous system by applying even pressure on your body. Sleeping with an overactive nervous system can be challenging. Luckily, weighted blankets are a quick and effective means of overcoming this hurdle. According to a study, 63 per cent of participants stated that heavy blankets helped lower their anxiety levels after just five minutes of use. How to choose the best weighted blanket for you. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, stress and anxiety are still taking centre stage, causing many of us to revisit our mental health. That said, a weighted blanket might be a great tool for you. So, how do you pick the best option? Consider the following factors. Blanket weight The average weight of weighted blankets ranges from 2kg to 13kg. You should select a weighted blanket that weighs no more than 10 percent of your body weight. Weighted blankets for children weigh close to 2kg, and adult blankets range from 2kg to 13kg. Consider getting a lighter blanket for users with mobility issues. Although the pressure of the blanket has its benefits, it can be unsafe to apply too much pressure with a weighted blanket that is too heavy. That’s why the 10 per cent rule is recommended. If you have any concerns or questions about which weight is right for you, speak with your doctor or ask to be referred to a therapist who specialises in sensory integration therapy.
Weighted blanket material Weighted blankets are filled with two types of material: plastic pellets or glass beads. Glass beads are smaller – but heavier than plastic pallets. That small size has an advantage in that the blanket appears thinner. In contrast, plastic pellets are bigger, making the blanket a bit bulkier. However, blankets with plastic pallets are considerably cheaper since plastic is inexpensive compared to glass. Some weighted blankets come with other materials, such as polyester fibrefill or fleece lining, for an extra layer of warmth. If you’re planning to use the blanket during the cold winter months, this might be a nice perk. Removable cover Due to the weight of the blankets, they are bulky and hard to wash, which means a removeable cover is ideal. Cotton covers make for cool, breathable blankets, while other fabrics may best suit that warm and cosy feel. Sometimes, sellers will price covers as an add-on, so never assume your blanket comes with a removable cover. Adapted from an article by Esteban Vaquera. Medically reviewed by Brittany Stopa, MPH. Available at: www.symptomfind.com |
AuthorShonagh O'Hagan Archives
May 2024
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