Infection control, where structured steps are taken to minimise the spread of infection, is often associated with hospitals and other institutional care settings, but it is just as important if you are receiving home care.
That’s because many people receiving home often have existing health conditions or complex health needs that put them at higher risk of infections, which could have an impact on their overall health and well-being.
Below, we explain infection control, why it is so important in home care settings, and what steps home carers can take to minimise their risk of infections.
What is infection control?
The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines infection control as a scientific approach and practical solution designed to prevent harm caused by infection to patients and home workers. Essentially, this means taking practical steps to reduce the spread of infection.
Why is infection control at home important?
Although infection control is often associated with institutionalised settings responsible for caring for people, like hospitals or care homes, everyone has some responsibility for infection control in our daily lives by regularly handwashing and maintaining good hygiene. Infection control is fundamental for our overall well-being, as well as preventing epidemics or pandemics.
Following infection control procedures at home is especially important for those who care for elderly people, whether home care workers or family members taking on caring responsibilities. People receiving care at home often have existing health conditions or complex needs that not only increase their risk of infections but also increase their chances of having a prolonged or serious illness as a result of an infectious disease.
How do infectious diseases spread?
Understanding how infection spreads is important as it helps inform what infection control measures are necessary in different circumstances.
Infectious diseases can spread in many ways, including:
Direct contact
Direct contact is the most common way infectious diseases spread from one person to another.
It can involve transmission through:
- Direct touch from person to person
- Respiratory droplets – usually spread through coughing or sneezing
- Through body fluids
- Direct exposure to infectious particles in the environment
Indirect contact
It is also possible for infection to spread indirectly, although this is less common.
The indirect spread of infection often includes:
- From contact with a contaminated object – often this is things lots of people may touch, like a door handle
- Through the air
Home care infection control measures
If you or a loved one receives care at home, it’s important to make sure that the care agency you have chosen follows robust infection control procedures.
Here are some of the measures you should expect:
Handwashing
Regular handwashing is one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of infections.
There are key moments when your home carer should wash their hands:
- When they arrive at your home to provide care – this is especially important if you receive visiting care, as it is likely that your carer will have come straight from visiting someone else increasing the risk of bringing ‘new germs’ into your home environment.
- As soon as they have finished providing care – for visiting carers, this could be when they are about to leave you, or if you have live-in care, it could be after they have finished a task like making your lunch.
- Whenever they come into contact with body fluids – this could be after assisting you in the bathroom or using the bathroom themselves.
- When they remove their gloves – when performing care duties, your carer should wear protective gloves and an apron, but it is still important they wash their hands after removing and disposing of them to prevent the spread of infection.
It is also important to note that using a hand rub specifically designed for healthcare settings instead of hand washing if the hands are not visibly soiled is acceptable.
It is important that home carers follow the correct handwashing technique to minimise the risk of spreading infection. The WHO has a poster that can be downloaded, printed out and displayed which shows good practices.
To make regular handwashing easier, it is recommended that carers:
- Keep their arms bare below the elbow
- Remove bracelets and rings before starting work
- Keep their fingernails short and free of nail polish or false nails
- Cover any cuts or grazes on their hands and arms while working
Wear appropriate PPE
Home carers should wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) when providing care to reduce the spread of infection. Their choice of PPE will vary depending on the task being carried out but will usually include protective gloves and an apron.
Additional items may also be worn by carers providing complex care like respiratory support or catheter management.
When using PPE, it is important that home carers:
- Only wear each item once
- Dispose of all PPE correctly
- Change gloves between different care tasks
Follow hygienic waste disposal practices
Depending on your care needs there may be times when home carers are exposed to dressings, disposable clothing and other items that can spread infection if not disposed of correctly.
Correct waste disposal generally involves common sense, like not overfilling the bin, ensuring bins get changed regularly, and placing heavily soiled items in a sealed bag and disposing in the outside bin. However, if you have been provided with specialist bags for hazardous waste, they should always be used, labelled and stored correctly before being collected.
Stay home if unwell
Home carers are only human and from time to time they will come down with an illness. It is important that they report this to their line manager and seek appropriate guidance on how long they need to remain at home before resuming care duties to prevent them from spreading their illness to the people they care for.
Trusted care at home from Trinity Homecare
If you’re looking for dedicated home care for you or a loved one, trust Trinity Homecare. For the past 25 years, we have provided the highest standards of care in the comfort of people’s own homes.
We understand the importance of infection control in minimising the spread of infection in those we care for, as well as our home care workers, which is why all our home carers undergo regular training in correct infection control procedures.
What’s more, we are a fully managed care agency with an ‘Outstanding’ CQC rating, placing Trinity amongst the top 4% of all nationwide care companies in England. With this in mind, you can rest assured that your loved one will receive the highest standard of care and specialist support.
If you have any questions about arranging care, simply get in touch with our helpful and knowledgeable care team.
Arranging nationwide home care with Trinity is straightforward.
Simply follow these five steps:
- Call our care team
- Undergo a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your care needs and arrange a care assessment
- After the assessment, a plan of care is created
- A well-suited carer is found and placed
- Care can be adapted at any time
