Report Reveals Germiest Areas Within Seniors’ Homes

A recent report published by online retailer Carewell has revealed the germiest places within the homes of the elderly, as well as how their caregivers were dealing with the challenges of senior care.

The study’s team swabbed and tested surfaces in seniors’ homes, to get an idea of which areas were the worst. The report found the following:

• Seniors’ homes have 24,000 times more bacteria than the average toilet seat
• Shower handles and bathroom sinks are the dirtiest surfaces, with 22 times more bacteria than a pet bowl
• Bedside tables have more than 500 times the bacteria of a toilet seat
• Kitchen counters have more than seven times the bacteria of a coffee maker reservoir.

Most of the bacteria found were gram-positive bacteria. According to the U.S. National Institutes of Health, while gram-positive bacteria are not as deadly as gram-negative bacteria (which can be very resistant to antibiotics), they can still cause serious diseases in humans, especially in immuno-compromised individuals. Gram-negative bacteria, however, was also found, specifically on kitchen counters.

According to the study, 38% of those surveyed found that the environment impacted their clients’ physical or mental wellbeing from 26% up to 50% of the time, and 18% said it did so up to 75% of the time.

The unhealthy nature of the elderly’s surroundings was further compounded by their lack of good hygiene practices. Of the caregivers surveyed, 80% noticed a decline in their clients’ hygiene after the age of 70, and 20% said the seniors they care for have extremely poor hygiene habits.

Most of the caregivers surveyed (72%) said that cleaning up after vomiting or incontinence episodes is the most challenging aspect of caring for a senior, followed by assisting with toileting and hygiene needs (56%) and coping with the emotional toll of caring for someone in declining health (51%).

Click here to see the complete results of the study.