Abstract
This study investigated the current status of measures against infectious diseases and the challenges at elderly care facilities. A survey on measures against infectious diseases was conducted with the participation of 140 welfare facilities for care of the elderly and 66 long-term care facilities for the elderly in Prefecture A between March and August 2013, to which 81 facilities responded (response rate, 39.3%). The most common measures against infectious diseases conducted at these elderly care facilities were the development of manuals (100.0%), the establishment of a committee on infectious diseases (95.1%), and the provision of staff education (84.0%). However, insufficient measures were taken for staff education (56.8%) and drills on outbreaks of infectious diseases (42.0%). Influenza vaccination for facility workers was performed at a high rate (98.8%), and all elderly care facilities vaccinated their residents. Influenza outbreaks were observed every year at 1.8% and in nonconsecutive years at 29.1% of the welfare facilities, whereas influenza outbreaks were observed in non-consecutive years at 56.0% of the long-term care facilities. Norovirus outbreaks did not occur every year at any of the elderly care facilities, but were observed in non-consecutive years at 30.9% of the welfare facilities and 40.0% of the long-term care facilities. Elderly care facilities have recently been establishing systems to control infectious diseases. However, influenza and norovirus outbreaks are still observed in 30–50% of elderly care facilities, so appropriate infection control and education systems must be developed at these facilities.
