Reinforcing hygiene for patients and the elderly

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Extract from the article: Good hygiene for the elderly helps to keep them in good health and to eliminate infections and certain infectious diseases, thanks to regular body cleansing, showers and baths. It also involves changing clothes and underwear and washing hands frequen

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Good hygiene for the elderly helps to keep them in good health and to eliminate infections and certain infectious diseases, thanks to regular body cleansing, showers and baths. It also involves changing clothes and underwear and washing hands frequently. The aim is to help them take care of their bodies when they are no longer able to do so themselves, while respecting their autonomy and privacy as much as possible. Basic hygiene for the elderly includes oral hygiene, bathing, elimination, shaving, brushing and styling. These procedures may seem elementary, but they are essential to maintaining the patient's health.

From cleanliness to hygiene

Cleanliness is the absence of dirt. It is visible to the naked eye. Hygiene is the reduction in the number of germs, microbes, also known as micro-organisms because they are only visible under the microscope.  To combat the multiplication of germs, there are 3 steps to be taken: Firstly, cleaning, which includes washing, detergent (soap, washing powder, cleaning products) temporarily reduces the number of germs. Secondly, disinfection (disinfectants), which consists of temporarily reducing the number of germs. Finally, sterilisation (chemical products) dry or moist heat at over 100° momentarily destroys all germs.

Germs and hands

Germs include bacteria, viruses, parasites and mycoplasma.They live in their normal state on or in the healthy human body.They are saprophytic germs and are useful for the body's defence.These same germs become pathogenic when they proliferate on a host weakened by an illness or a drop in immunity, in which case they themselves cause infections.

Hands are the main vector of contagion through contact. In fact, our hands are our first and most essential working tools, so we touch everything and are constantly carrying germs from one site to another. If we don't wash them, germs multiply and proliferate, and we deposit them everywhere.Hand washing helps to keep the bacterial load on our hands low.Effective hand washing alone can prevent 90% of infections.

When should you wash your hands?

Before and after meals, after going to the toilet, after coughing into your hands or blowing your nose, before putting on and after taking off gloves, at the start and end of the day, and so on.

How to wash your hands

Preferably with a mild liquid soap and after removing any jewellery.Wet your hands.Place the soap in the palm of one hand, then methodically rub hands together, palms, backs of hands, wrists and interdigital spaces for 30 seconds to 1 minute.Rinse under running water.  Dry thoroughly by dabbing with a paper towel or clean cloth, from the fingers to the wrists.

Wear gloves when handling secretions or biological fluids.Wash your hands as often as necessary.Never wear dirty clothes against your body.

Jean ELI

Article validated by Rosalie Benthywa Johnson, Director of the Personal Assistance at Home and in Hospitals of the NGO Volontaires Internationaux pour la Santé en Afrique (SADH-VISA).