Creating Healthier Nursing Home Environments

Every sector of the U.S. economy feels the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The hardest-hit segment of the population are seniors with people 85 and older facing the greatest risk of severe illness. Many nursing homes find themselves overwhelmed in their efforts to maintain safe environments for seniors in their care.

As skilled nursing facilities (SNF) work to keep their residents safe, they also struggle to cope with the financial impact of the virus. To address this crisis, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has made more relief funds available to nursing homes.

More Relief Funds Available

The HHS provides financial help to create healthier nursing home environments. Funding comes through a fixed distribution of $50,000 to each qualifying nursing home. Extra variable distributions of $2,500 per bed are available for SNFs with six or more certified beds. These funds are for use under the terms and conditions set for Provider Relief Fund payments. Nursing homes must remain in compliance with all guidelines and reporting requirements.

Nursing facilities can use these funds to receive certification as a Pure Air Indoor Environment. Improving the indoor environment reduces the amount of mold, viruses, and other harmful particles in the air. Disinfection, testing, sampling, and monitoring keeps the indoor environment safe and creates healthier nursing homes.

Improving the Indoor Environment

Nursing homes face many challenges in keeping their facilities clean and disinfected. Maintaining functioning HVAC systems is critical. Inspecting and cleaning air filters and air handling units produces better indoor air quality. This limits the spread of airborne pathogens. Addressing changes in humidity levels and inspecting cooling towers helps prevent the spread of waterborne pathogens like the Legionella bacteria that cause Legionnaires disease.

Increased cleaning schedules reduce the risk of spreading the COVID-19 and other pathogens. This includes the regular disinfection of common areas. An increased focus is necessary for high-touch surfaces such as counters and desktops, door handles, and railings. Common areas such as waiting rooms, bathrooms, and kitchens need special attention too. Monitoring humidity levels is important as mold issues need fast remediation. Those already suffering from respiratory illnesses are more at risk. Taking steps to deal with these issues improves indoor air quality and creates healthier nursing homes.

Pure Air Controls Certification

Pure Air Control Services helps nursing homes stay healthy. We do this with our PURE-Air Indoor Environment certification. This is necessary for creating healthier nursing homes. Certification requires the successful completion of cleaning and disinfecting services. Monitoring and testing of indoor air quality are also required.

Achieving certification requires a combination of services. Our PURE-Steam™ method uses 350° F steam to clean HVAC systems. Our HVAC New Life™ process restores units using anti-microbial paint. Supply and return ductwork gets cleaned throughout the nursing home using PURE-Duct Cleaning. Our PURE-Decon system kills 99.9 percent of bacteria, mold, and viruses including the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

Environmental sampling and testing ensure the indoor environment remains safe. Our EDLab uses cutting-edge technologies to test various environmental samples. This helps us understand the quality of the environment. IAQ Guard sensors alert us around the clock to changes to temperature, relative humidity, and CO2 levels. It also alerts us to the presence of harmful particles and volatile organic compounds.

Contact Pure Air Controls

Put your available HHS funds to use by creating a healthier nursing home for the seniors in your care. Pure Air Control can transform your building in to a “Certified PURE-Air Indoor Environment”. For more information call 727-572-4550 today!