Infection Control Policy​

Community: Lake House Assisted Living and Trinity Place Assisted Living

Effective: 5/1/2022

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Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to establish written policies and procedures to control the transmission of infections and diseases for the protection of the residents, staff, and visitors.

The Executive Director/Administrator shall be responsible for the direction, provision, and quality of infection prevention and control in the community.

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Handwashing:

Handwashing should be done on the following occasions: 

• Before, during, and after preparing food 

• Before eating food 

• Before and after providing care to a resident 

• Before and after caring for someone at home who is sick with vomiting or diarrhea 

• Before and after treating a cut or wound 

• After using the toilet 

• After changing incontinence briefs or cleaning up a resident who has used the toilet 

• After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing 

• After touching an animal, animal feed, or animal waste 

• After handling pet food or pet treats 

• After touching garbage 

• After contact with potentially infectious material,

 • Before putting on and after removing PPE, including gloves. Hand hygiene after removing PPE is particularly important to remove any pathogens that might have been transferred to bare hands during the removal process.

 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, handwashing should also be performed on the following occasions: 

• After having been in a public place and touching an item or surface that may be frequently touched by other people, such as door handles, tables, gas pumps, shopping carts, electronic cashier registers/screens, etc. 

• Before touching eyes, nose, or mouth because that is how germs enter the bodies. 

 

 

Alcohol-Based Hand-Sanitizers

• Apply the gel product to the palm of one hand (read the label to learn the correct amount). 

• Rub hands together. 

• Rub the gel over all the surfaces of the hands and fingers until the hands are dry. This should take around 20 seconds.

 

Laundry:

• Do not shake dirty laundry, especially if visibly soiled. 

• Wear disposable gloves while handling dirty laundry.

• Dirty laundry from a person who is sick cannot be washed with other people’s items. 

• Wash items according to the label instructions. 

• Use the warmest water setting you can. 

• Remove gloves, and wash hands right away.  

• Dry laundry, on hot if possible, completely. 

• Wash hands after putting clothes in the dryer. 

• Clean and disinfect clothes hampers before putting folded clean clothes back in them

 

Disinfecting and Sanitizing:

Common Areas/Restrooms

Cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces (e.g., door handles, workstations, sink handles, bathroom) at least daily, or as much as possible and as required by food safety requirements. Clean shared objects (e.g., tables, countertops, trays, condiment holders) between each use.

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• Continue to follow all required safety laws, regulations, and rules.

• Use products that meet EPA disinfection and that are appropriate for the surface. Allow the disinfectant to remain on the surface for the contact time recommended by the manufacturer.

• Establish a disinfection routine and train staff on proper cleaning timing and procedures to ensure safe and correct application of disinfectants.

 

 

Resident Apartments

Resident Apartments will be cleaned and disinfected weekly on the scheduled cleaning day in the same way as common areas.

 

Community Vehicles

Our community vehicles are used to transport several residents (Bus: several residents at a time or Vehicle: several people throughout the day for medical appointments) due to this we have established procedures for disinfecting the community vehicles after each outing on the bus and after each round trip with a resident for a medical appointment.  

Community vehicles will have a cleaning/disinfecting kit that includes at a minimum, sanitizing wipes, disinfecting spray (i.e. Lysol), gloves, and alcohol-based hand-sanitizer.

The door handles

 

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Personal protective equipment, commonly referred to as "PPE", is equipment worn to minimize exposure to hazards that cause serious workplace injuries and illnesses. These injuries and illnesses may result from contact with chemical, radiological, physical, electrical, mechanical, or other workplace hazards. Personal protective equipment may include items such as gloves, safety glasses and shoes, earplugs or muffs, hard hats, respirators, or coveralls, vests and full body suits.