Carers_of_the_Sick_and

Deeper cleaning needed for the sick and elderly

Millions of people are responsible fo caring for elderly, sick and disabled friends and family members. Very often, this care is given unpaid and without support. On this page we would like to be able to offer some helpful information and resources for carers about infection control.

The elderly, especially those over 65 years of age are
at greater risk of developing dangerous infections from
microorganisms like MRSA and C.diff. This is because they
are normally weaker than younger adults, and often suffer
from a form of chronic illness, the infections can have a
devastating impact. A major risk is attributable to elderly
people who undergo treatment in hospitals that requires
them to take strong antibiotics. These antibiotics upset the
balance of bacteria in the gut allowing Clostridium difficile
bacteria to flourish causing diarrhoea. Unless a
contaminated environment is cleaned and disinfected
properly, reinfection can occur in extreme cases can lead to death.

The chronically sick and disabled are also at greater risk of
infection. So carers of these vulnerable people should be
aware of how to maintain a high level of hygeine around
them.

The following resources are available on this website:

• Facts about 'germs'
• Germ hot-spots
• Sporicidal disinfection
• Mary and Robert's story
• Dangerous infections

How Tristel products can help

This helpful information has been provided by Tristel, who
are a leading infection and contamination control business
based in Newmarket, United Kingdom. Tristel's leading
technology uses a proprietary chlorine dioxide formulation,
and is used to disinfect medical instruments and surfaces in
hospitals and to control legionella in water. Tristel's
disinfectants are used in more than 700 UK hospitals, in
many different departments to help protect the most
vulnerable patients from infection.

In the healthcare industry, Tristel's advanced chlorine dioxide products are considered to be amongst the highest performing disinfectants available to hospitals. Independent tests have shown that they are sporicidal, bactericidal, fungicidal and virucidal in a 30 second contact time. Tristel's special formulation of chlorine dioxide is deadly to microorganisms but totally safe for humans and animals.

Tristel have created a new range of products for the home
called Deeper Clean. The range contains a Sporicidal Gel
and large sized Bactericidal Wipes that clean and disinfect.
The sporicidal gel is specially designed to not produce any
aerosols when it is used and is capable of destroying all
harmful microorganisms that an elderly, sick or disabled
person may come into contact with. This includes the Norovirus or 'winter vomiting virus', MRSA and C. diff bacteria and spores.

The elderly, chronically sick, and disabled, are extremely
vulnerable to these kinds of infection, because of their weak
immune systems. The Norovirus for example, can survive for
long periods of time in the environment, and only 10-100
virus particles are needed to cause an infection. That is why
these viruses spread so easily. Cleaning with Tristel
products is the most effective form of defence against them,
and because they are quick, safe and easy to use, they are
ideal for use in a vulnerable person's environment, both
inside and outside the home.

The Tristel Jet and Fuse disinfectants for hospitals are
widely used in Accident & Emergency and Intensive Care
Units in the UK to protect the most critically ill people in
society.

Support Groups and Resources

The following is a list of support groups that carers may find
useful if they are affected by infections:

• C.diff - Support
• HUSH (E.coli support)
• Flu prevention advice from the NHS
• MRSA Action UK
• Norovirus information from the Health Protection Agency

Specific support for carers

• Care UK
• NHFA - Care UK