Urinary tract infections involve any part of the urinary tract – the urethra, the bladder, the ureters, or the kidney. The incidence of this group of infections is common in females and older adults, which is why it is a growing concern for aging adults, including those who live in an assisted living community.
Retirement communities help prevent urinary tract infections, manage residents with increased risks of diseases and help treat residents that have come down with the conditions. The following paragraphs explain how the community accomplishes this.
Proper Environmental Hygiene
A neat environment is one of the foremost non-pharmacologic prophylaxis for urinary tract infections. It helps to reduce the chances of being infected in the first place and keeps everyone healthy.
An assisted living community is situated in the most serene of environments and offers residents a clean and habitable neighborhood.
Housekeeping and maintenance services are one of the programs the community offers. This program ensures that aging adults do not need to bear the burden of home maintenance as there are community team members that get it done. As a result, your loved ones are assured of a clean and tidy apartment daily.
Additionally, the dedicated team members ensure that the environment and shared spaces are clean and properly maintained. By doing this, the community helps to combat infections and protect your loved ones from avoidable diseases.
Promote Personal Hygiene
Lack of good personal hygiene (especially around the urethra) is one of the leading causes of urinary tract infections. Proper personal hygiene helps with healing and preventing future occurrences.
The retirement community encourages residents on the best way to maintain good hygiene. For aging adults using a catheter, the healthcare team helps with proper management techniques as prescribed by the doctor.
Additionally, suppose your loved one needs help with activities like bathing, grooming and other tasks, the retirement community offers a variety of senior living options that ensure they enjoy a continuum of care.
Through Personal Hygiene, aging adults can live life without the fear of getting these infections.
Prompt Medical Attention
One of the most pertinent advantages of assisted living communities is that residents have unfettered access to the finest medical care services in the community.
Whenever residents manifest symptoms of infections, the professional healthcare team (through the health and wellness program) assesses the situation and decides on the best treatment option.
For residents placed on medications before moving into the community, the dedicated team members ensure they comply with the prescription and help them get better quickly.
Encourage Safe Practices
Urinary tract infections can be prevented by engaging in safe practices. The retirement community enlightens residents about these practices, encouraging personal hygiene and ultimately reducing the risk of infections. Female residents are advised on the best way to clean up, which is wiping from front to back and not otherwise.
Additionally, residents are encouraged to drink lots of water and visit the toilet whenever there’s the urge (as opposed to keeping urine stored in the bladder for so long) and older women (especially those who have been through menopause) are advised on safe vaginal hygiene.
In conclusion, our retirement community understands the health concerns of aging adults. Therefore, we can guarantee that your loved ones will receive the best medical care, as necessary, throughout their stay in the community.
