Tackling antimicrobial resistance with new cleaning protocols

When we hear the word pandemic, our mind is likely to jump to the events of the most recent COVID-19 pandemic. 

However, the World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared an end to public health emergency of the COVID-19 pandemic. And although the virus hasn’t been completely eradicated, it’s no longer a cause of major concern. 

Unfortunately, another health emergency has been unfolding quietly behind the scenes.  Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) will claim 39 million lives by 2050 according to a global study from The Lancet.

This puts AMR on track to cause 5 times more deaths than COVID-19 has in the last 4 years.

Despite the massive death toll, AMR is much less widely discussed, which is why experts are starting to call this the “silent pandemic.” 

AMR in nursing homes and senior living facilities 

AMR is a particular concern for elderly populations, where adults over 70 are most at risk. 

To illustrate, a study collected swabs from 1,400 residents in  28 nursing homes in Southern California. 

50% of the residents’ samples were found to be colonized with multidrug-resistant organisms, yet only 13% of residents had documented MDRO colonization in their medical records. Meanwhile, environmental swabbing found 37% of items like beds, tables, and handrails were contaminated with an MDRO. 

However, this doesn’t mean care homes and facilities aren’t bothering to disinfect equipment and facilities. The need for sanitization is clearly documented and a core part of all staff training. 

Instead, the current protocols used to disinfect and sanitise are no longer effective against AMR, allowing superbugs to spread and silently colonize vulnerable populations. 

Challenging legacy cleaning protocols 

On Wednesday, September 14th, Viking Pure Solutions is set to host an online seminar titled “It Smells Clean in Here!” to break down the most common misconceptions around cleaning, disinfection, and infection prevention in senior living communities. 

For generations, we’ve associated “lemon-fresh” smells and the sharp scent of bleach with the idea of cleanliness. Whether it’s residential living or a hospital, the presence of those smells offer reassurance that proper care is being taken to clean and disinfect. 

Yet, according to Viking Pure, a reliance on traditional cleaning solutions and disinfectants masks a bigger problem.

Dylan Perry at Inspirit Senior Living, Nicolle Williams at Heritage Senior Living, James Lee, Founder & CEO of Bella Groves, and Daniel Lawson at Viking Pure Solutions will lead a candid discussion on infection prevention in senior living communities.

From overly fragrant sprays to legacy protocols that refuse to die, we’ll explore the red flags that well-meaning operators might be overlooking—and what a truly safe, healthy environment actually looks like.