Evaluation of a handwashing intervention to reduce respiratory illness rates in senior day-care centers

To decrease respiratory infections in senior day care, staff were educated on viral transmission and the value of hand washing. Fanny packs with alcohol foam supplemented hand washing and were alternated monthly between centers. Infection rates were unchanged with alcohol foam use. The intervention year’s infection rate was significantly lower than the previous 3 years, suggesting a benefit of education (Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 1999;20:200-202). Acute respiratory illnesses are a major cause of morbidity in persons of all ages. Although rates of respiratory infections generally decline with advancing age, their impact may be much greater in older persons.1-4 Lower rates of respiratory infections in older persons may be due in part to less frequent exposures to pathogens. Adult daycare centers have gained popularity as an alternative to institutionalizing frail elderly. Similar to the situation with children in day care, acute respiratory infections in elderly day-care attendees are common, and nosocomial spread of respiratory viruses occurs.2 In the present study, we assessed the value of a staff educational program combined with the use of a portable virucidal foam for the reduction of respiratory infections in day-care participants.