vol.62-4 (2024/11/30)

Development status and equipment standards for elderly care facilities

In Japan, with the total population set to decline, the proportion of the population aged 65 and over will continue to rise until 2043. The number of people with dementia and MCI is expected to increase until 2060, according to future estimates. Under these circumstances, there is a need for the development of facilities for the elderly. Elderly care facilities are divided into two types, depending on whether or not they provide long-term care services. If someone is certified as requiring long-term care, they can use long-term care facilities. In recent years, the number of elderly care facilities has been increasing, including fee-based senior homes, group homes for people with dementia, special nursing care homes for the elderly, and housing for the elderly with services. There has been a particularly large increase in users of fee-based senior homes, special nursing care homes for the elderly, and housing for the elderly with services. The relevant laws and regulations for elderly care facilities set out equipment standards, but do not specify indoor environmental standards. Future elderly care facilities in Japan need to establish indoor environmental standards for maintaining and improving the health of the elderly, as well as a system for regularly maintaining and managing equipment.

Nationwide questionnaire survey on air-conditioning equipment and indoor environment in special elderly nursing homes

Questionnaires were conducted on the building outline, facility equipment and operation/management status, and control and considerations regarding the indoor environment for special elderly nursing homes nationwide.
The survey results provided a glimpse into some aspects of the facilities and revealed some management issues related to the indoor environment. It was found that there was a wide range of temperature, relative humidity, and ventilation management standards, as well as differences in perceptions among facilities. Facility management, equipment operation and maintenance, and ensuring a good indoor environment require dedicated personnel or outsourcing to specialized contractors. Since ventilation is a valuable measure for odor and hygrothermal control, comfort, and infection prevention, encouraging and educating facility staff about ventilation is a critical issue.

Points of attention with an air conditioning design in elderly care facilities

In elderly care facilities, proper operation of air conditioning systems that control temperature, humidity, and air quality is important to maintain a comfortable living environment for residents and a comfortable working environment for caregivers and medical personnel. To deepen understanding of air conditioning systems, this paper introduces design concepts and points to keep in mind for proper operation, while explaining the design procedures for air conditioning systems in special nursing homes for the elderly.

Odor characteristics and approaches to control measures

In Japan, which has become the world’s oldest society with an aging population, the issue of elderly care has become increasingly important. Improving the quality of the environment in elderly care facilities is also essential, with a particular focus on odor management. Hospitals tend to be associated with the odor of pharmaceuticals; however, in nursing care wards, the odors may be similar to those found in nursing homes. These facilities are used by people from a variety of backgrounds, including patients, residents, staff, and visitors; thus, even the same “odor” may be perceived differently. Therefore, the problem of odor is very delicate, and careful measures are necessary to maintain a pleasant olfactory environment.
This paper describes the characteristics of odors in elderly care facilities and proposes measures for their improvement. In these facilities, odors associated with diaper changes, medical treatments, and meals are common. In particular, the odor generated during diaper changes lingers for an extended period, becoming a persistent odor in the room. Therefore, it is necessary to implement appropriate measures close to the source of the odor. Additionally, countermeasures using fragrances must consider the diversity of user preferences and perceptions. To maintain a comfortable olfactory environment, it is essential to integrate source management, removal strategies, and the use of fragrances as a cohesive set of measures and to implement them in an appropriate combination.

Bacterial contamination in elderly care facilities and its mitigation measures

This paper describes the current state of bacterial contamination in elderly care facilities and the measures implemented to address it. Bacterial flora measurements taken at seven facilities in Miyagi prefecture and Hokkaido revealed the presence of 20 bacterial genera with a relative abundance of 1% or more. Among these, 11 genera contained pathogenic bacterial species, while five were identified as oral commensal bacteria. In addition to surface sterilization, reducing the concentration of airborne bacteria is crucial. The use of air purifiers is particularly effective during periods of infectious disease outbreaks.

Air quality issues and measures in elderly care facilities in post-COVID-19

Medical and welfare facilities are not specified buildings under the Building Sanitation Act. Therefore, no guidance on indoor air quality is provided; a risk of aerosol infection was noted in the COVID-19 cluster survey. Insufficient ventilation due to inadequate operation and management of air conditioning and ventilation systems and air currents that spread infectious aerosols were identified. Future aerosol infection control measures should include reviewing building, air conditioning, and ventilation plans. In preparation for future pandemics, aerosol infection control measures should be taken in elderly care facilities and general wards in medical institutions.
The airflow that considers aerosol infection control measures may also contribute to odor control, which has traditionally been a problem in elderly care facilities. Furthermore, the introduction of heat exchangers can lead to energy savings; the development of IoT technology has also created the possibility of controlling air conditioning and ventilation according to infection risk.

Basic instructions for optical particle counter and construction method for minimizing errors in measurement

An optical particle counter for airborne particle is one of the easy-to-handle measurement equipment to evaluate cleanliness of the environment. However, without handling in appropriate way, the measuring result might contain errors, and the usage causes a malfunction of the equipment. In this report a basic structure of optical particle counter and methods for constructing the fluid system are shown to achieve precise measurement.

Pharmaceutical and cosmetics factories

The purpose of setting up a biological clean room in a pharmaceutical and cosmetics factories is to minimize the risk of microbial contamination of raw materials and products, and to ensure product quality and safety. To maintain and control the cleanliness of clean rooms, facility equipment inspections, environmental monitoring, and equipment maintenance are some of the measures that must be taken, and a system of control items and frequency must be established for each facility and each product manufactured. In particular, the cleanliness of manufacturing rooms for pharmaceuticals and cosmetics differs depending on the product application and dosage form. For highly sterile products, the required cleanliness of the manufacturing area is higher, and clean room validation is also important. In addition, microorganisms that contaminate the clean room always enter with workers, raw materials, and ingredients, and there is a risk that they may multiply in the room. Therefore, daily cleaning and disinfection of the facility as well as periodic decontamination are also necessary. This paper describes the microorganisms that contaminate clean rooms and their factors, and introduces methods for clean room validation, facility cleaning, disinfection, and decontamination.