Long-Term Care Facilities

Infection prevention and control aims to prevent the spread of disease to residents and staff through:

• Inspection of institutional food premises including long-term care facilities, retirement homes and hospitals
• Monitoring and responding to outbreaks in institutions
• Consulting on infection prevention concerns

For COVID-19 and Flu related information, see Coronavirus Resources for Health Professionals.

Preventing infections

Residents in long-term care are more likely to get an infection because they have:

• Decreased immunity and/or underlying medical conditions
• A lot of personal contact
• Live in close quarters

Handwashing

Many infections are spread person-to-person by our hands. Infection can be spread before showing symptoms of being ill and after you have stopped showing symptoms.

Washing your hands is one of the best ways to prevent viruses from spreading.

Wash your hands:

• Before preparing, serving or eating food
• After using the washroom
• After coughing or sneezing

Residents should be reminded to wash their hands throughout the day. Visitors should take the same precautions to protect themselves, relatives and friends.

All staff and visitors should wash hands or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer before entering and exiting the facility.

Visitors should be reminded not to visit if they are ill and to wash their hands before and after caring for a resident.

Other best practices

To prevent the spread of infection, staff should:

• Promote proper hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette 
• Wear gloves, masks and gowns, when appropriate, to stop the spread of infection by following the steps for donning (putting on) and doffing (taking off) personal protective equipment
• Improve indoor air quality through measures such as increasing ventilation with outdoor air where possible, ensuring clean filters, controlling humidity, optimizing air exchange rates, and consulting with an HVAC contractor or knowledgeable staff to optimize ventilation in your facility
• Recommend residents receive an annual flu shot and keep immunizations up-to-date for tetanus/diphtheria and pneumococcal disease
• Clean and disinfect equipment and surfaces in the facility including common areas, washrooms, bathing facilities, floors, furnishings and walls
• Handle and prepare food according to food safety practices
• Ensure hair salons and barber shops comply with health standards

 Additional resources

• Enteric Outbreak Fact Sheet
• Enteric Outbreak Resource Manual
• Gastroenteritis, Institutional Outbreaks, Appendix A
• Gastroenteritis, Institutional Outbreaks, Appendix B
• How to wash your hands
• Handwashing sign
• IPAC Summary of Key Principles and Best Practices (Public Health Ontario)
• Norovirus Facts
• Provincial Infectious Diseases Advisory Committee (PIDAC) Best Practice Documents