Linens and bedding are an integral part of creating a safe and comfortable resident experience in senior living facilities. Usually when we talk about linens, the conversation naturally flows to the importance of quality sheeting. But did you know that pillowcases are equally important to resident care?
Pillowcases keep resident skin healthy
A resident’s face has more contact with his or her pillowcase than any other fabric in your facility, including their clothing. Sometimes, when pillows are placed in other areas of a resident’s bed to help alleviate the threat of pressure ulcers, skin on other parts of the body are also in contact with the pillowcase. To protect their skin, it’s important that their pillowcases are soft, provide moisture-wicking and don’t create a lot of friction when the resident moves.
Pillowcases that are easy to care for help with infection control
Pillows are a high risk for transmitting infections because residents are in constant contact with these objects. They can be a potential source of bacterial contamination and nosocomial infections as they become contaminated with skin scales, body fluids, or wound drainage and could lead to serious infection. According to this article on infection prevention and pillows, disposable pillows are not always a practical solution, so they suggest dedicating a pillow for patient head repositioning through adopting a color coded pillowcase system. “The simple act of a dedicated head pillow has the potential to attain positive outcomes as well as improve patient satisfaction.” This would solve the problem with cross-contamination among the same patient.
The cost of treating preventable infections combined with the negative effect it could have on your Five-Star Rating is not something any facility administrator should risk. Prevent the spread of potentially dangerous organisms by having staff frequently change and sterilize pillowcases. Your most cost-effective option would be to choose pillowcases made of materials that resist staining and are durable enough to handle the necessary frequent institutional laundry processing required while maintaining a clean, fresh linen look, longer.
High-quality pillowcases create a luxurious resident experience
Pillowcases are one of the most important parts of luxury bedding. A resident’s room is their escape from the rest of the world. It’s where they go to find rest, respite and healing. Residents should feel positively about their room and their bedding so that they can concentrate on their medical circumstances. Soft, high-quality pillowcases should be selected for the comfort they impart to the resident experience. A resident’s sense of well-being comes in part from their perception of care and your attention to detail.
When it comes to providing the highest quality, most cost effective bedding products, Encompass stands above the rest. Whether you require the high aesthetic appeal of our Impressions line, the durability and longevity provided by our Synergy line, or the economical focus of our Essentials and Merit lines, we have a product to help create a pleasant resident experience.
Call your Encompass Representative today at 1-800-328-5525 to discuss high quality resident-focused products to meet your needs.
