Whether needed due to age or illness, care facilities play a dominant role in providing healthcare, especially for an ageing population. Residents and patients are often living with weakened or compromised immune systems—which means they’re more susceptible to germs and viruses in the air. Constant visitor traffic to these facilities means even more chances that contagions will be brought in from the outside. For the residents, that’s a risk. That's why Finley Regional Care found a solution in the Fellowes AeraMax Pro Air Purification machines.

THE CHALLENGE

A community managed not-for-profit organisation, Finley Regional Care offers a wide range of aged and community care services to the residents of the NSW Riverina community that includes services for high care nursing home, and low care hostel for more independent residents. Ben Levesque, CEO Finley Regional Care, is well aware of the role that Aged Care facilities play in providing high-level healthcare and quality of living to match the modern demands of the residents and their family members. To meet and exceed these expectations, it’s more important than ever for facilities to implement best practice procedures and processes that ensure the continuous quality improvement of the facility. On that note, and on the back of one of Australia’s worst and most publicised flu seasons in history, Fellowes was engaged by Finley Regional Care to provide an unabridged review of air hygiene throughout the facility with a specific focus on addressing infection and odour control.

THE SOLUTION

The installation of Fellowes AeraMax® Professional commercial-grade air purifiers in strategically positioned high-traffic shared living zones - including living areas, dining areas and around pan rooms. Utilising high-efficiency 4-stage filtration, AeraMax® Professional machines provides protection against allergens, colds & flu, and effectively manages infection & odour control to help maintain a healthier indoor environment and higher quality of facility.

THE RESULT

A turnkey solution to improving indoor air quality, a facility-wide rollout of Fellowes AeraMax® Professional not only demonstrates an unrivalled level of resident care against viruses and odours commonly associated with Aged Care facilities, but it also importantly addresses key accreditation standards outlined by the Quality Agency in the Quality-of-Care Principles 2014. Principally, it ensures that Element 4.7 is met through the implementation of an effective infection control program, through the pursuit of continuous improvement. Using an air particle counter to monitor and measure indoor air quality in spot-check locations throughout the facility, we measured up to a 45% reduction in particulate matter over a 5-minute period in one communal living zone once the air purifier was turned on. “We’ve had feedback from residents and staff about how much fresher the environment is” Ben said. In delivering a best-in-class wellness environment that embraces a holistic cleaning approach, Finley Regional Care is not only protecting their residents, but just as importantly providing an environment that keeps their staff and visitors happier and healthier too.

Photography by: H Studios