Staying pest free is crucial for a senior living complex or elder care facility. In addition to the obvious need to meet or exceed health code regulations, any possible outbreak could lead to negative PR and possible financial ramifications for any kind of infestation.
Nursing Home Pests
Pests and insects often find long-term care facilities an attractive real estate. Many facilities delay preventative treatments out of concern for adverse reactions in patients. The wiser course of action is to use an extermination company with experience treating such complexes.
Several other factors also contribute to potential pest problems. Among those are heavy foot traffic, visitors, high-volume food service, and difficult-to-inspect areas such as storage rooms.
In addition to those areas, the average assisted living complex has several hot spots that should be inspected for signs of pests on a regular basis:
- Food service areas (restaurants, coffee and snack bars, vending machine areas, food carts)
- Bedside furniture in patient rooms
- Drains and sink areas
- Surgical suites and intensive care wards
- Dialysis rooms
- Autopsy rooms
- Dumpsters
- Employee locker and break rooms
- Janitorial closets and laundry rooms
- Loading docks
While not all insects carry disease, they can also pose other health hazards. They also make a terrible impression and violate codes. Below is a list of the most common pest problems facing nursing homes, senior care facilities, and assisted living complexes.
Bedbugs –
Assisted living facilities and the like are an appealing home for bed bugs due to the sheer number of beds and the constant presence of items brought there from multiple people’s homes. Bedbugs are not considered vectors of disease, but their bites are itchy and leave red welts. Some patients also can contract a secondary infection caused by scratching the itch.
Ants –
Multiple species of ants can be a problem in a variety of ways, including outright fatalities. While thankfully red fire ants are not an issue on Long Island, there are records of them causing fatalities.
Cockroaches –
Famously hard to eliminate, cockroaches form large colonies very quickly and often gain access to the facility through food deliveries.
Flies –
Carriers of staphylococcus, E. Coli, and salmonella to name a few, flies are a fast-working disease vector. They can travel from the outgoing garbage to a resident’s dinner plate in moments.
Arrow Keeps Your Assisted Living Complex Pest-free
Whether it’s a rehabilitation center, senior living complex, nursing home or hospital, protect it from pests at any time of the year. It’s especially important now. Talk to our experts at Arrow about preventative pest control to meet any need. To get started, contact Arrow Exterminating today.