With flu outbreak season quickly approaching, Chartwell Retirement Residences is devoted to providing residents and their families with proper health and safety precautions to prevent the development and spread of illness. Each retirement and long term care residence has an Infection Prevention and Control team and committee, devoted to minimizing illness and infection transmission.
Do you want to help prevent illness in your loved one's senior living community? Here's three ways you can.
"Chartwell is committed to fostering a safe and healthy environment for residents."
Annual flu vaccination
First and foremost, to prevent the outbreak of sickness to others, it's important to get your yearly flu immunization. According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, influenza infects millions of Canadians every year, with more than 8,000 young children and seniors dying each year due to complications while infected with the flu virus. To protect you and your loved ones, be sure to visit your doctor or local pharmacy to inquire about vaccination information, and don't be afraid to ask your employer or retirement residence if they will be providing flu shots.
Regular hand washing
It may seem basic, but according to the Public Health Agency of Canada, hand washing with soap and water is one of the best ways to prevent the spread of germs and bacteria.
Most of us don't realize how many germs touch ours mouths, eyes and noses, and simply washing our hands can help to eliminate the germs early. It also helps prevent germs from interacting with the food we eat and any surface we touch.
When visiting Chartwell retirement residences, it's important to practice healthy hand hygiene. It's always best to wash your hands after using the restroom, before eating food and after helping your family member throughout the home. It is also very important for visitors to practice hand hygiene when first entering the building to ensure outside germs and bacteria have been eliminated.
Hand sanitizers are located at all main Chartwell entrances as well as throughout the home and near elevators.
Education and outbreak protocol
At Chartwell, creating a safe environment for residents to call home is top-priority. Their Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) teams and committees are dedicated to the prevention of infection and ensuring healthy living conditions. The IPAC team does this by providing information about basic infection control and safety to their community of residents, families, staff and volunteers.
By getting properly immunized and washing their hands frequently, residents and their families do their part in maintaining a safe and comfortable living space. For more information on protocol during an outbreak and how to stay healthy, inquire within your retirement residence.