4 important criteria to consider when hiring cleaning services for aged care facilities

Due to the growing ageing population in Australia, the number of residents occupying aged care facilities has also increased over the years. Facility owners or managers of these facilities carry the responsibility of ensuring their residents do not experience any safety or health hazards within the premises. 

This responsibility can be taxing and challenging for aged care facility owners and managers, which is why they should consider hiring cleaning services for aged care. In particular, aged care facilities require more stringent health and safety protocols, as senior residents are typically in ailing condition. 

They are more susceptible to contracting illnesses or diseases due to their compromised or weakened immune systems, so unsafe conditions within aged care facilities due to cluttered or slippery floor conditions could be a health hazard for senior residents who may trip and sustain injuries. 

So what can facility managers do to foster a clean and healthy living environment for senior residents? Hiring cleaning service providers for aged care facilities is a good first step but it’s important to know the essential criteria to consider when hiring them. Let’s explore the criteria below.

1. Focus on daytime cleaning 

When it comes to aged care facilities, most commercial cleaning services, if not all, will be done during the daytime. Therefore, facility managers need to ensure that the cleaning company they hire can cater to this fundamental requirement. 

Facility managers should also inquire and pose scenario-based questions about the cleaning methods or technology that the cleaning company can provide to diminish or eliminate health and safety risks within the aged care premises. 

The cleaning company they hire should have experts who are trained in-house, credible, and have a wealth of knowledge and experience to be meticulous and vigilant of any issues in the aged care facility that could pose a problem for the residents, visitors, and staff members. 

A reputable and trusted cleaning company will know how to apply best practices in cleaning procedures during the daytime, which includes keeping buckets, power cords, and other obstructive materials out of the residents’ path to avoid incidents of injury. 

2. Experience in cleaning services for aged care  

It is important that facility managers hire a cleaning company with a stellar reputation and track record in providing aged care cleaning. They can inquire representatives from such companies about any awards, accolades, or achievements they have earned due to the quality of their services.

As the cleaning company they hire will be in regular contact with senior citizens and visitors, the cleaning methods and procedures that these cleaning experts employ should be performed optimally without interfering with or disturbing the daily operations within the aged care facility. 

Cleaning experts should also be on high alert and vigilant of their environment and immediately keep facility managers informed of any emergency situations that require medical assistance if the need arises. 

3. Awareness of industry regulations and standards 

Facility managers must hire cleaning services providers who uphold and comply with strict health and safety regulations as there are infectious microorganisms in aged-care facilities that can be transmitted from one resident to another due to cross-contamination or unsanitary living conditions. 

This is why facility owners or managers should ensure that the cleaning company they hire has experts with a comprehensive understanding of cleaning procedures. Some aged care facilities face unforeseen or unexpected audits and inspections by their local authorities or inspectors. 

By hiring these cleaning companies, facility managers can ensure that their facility’s cleanliness meets the standards expected by these authorities and that their services do not result in any negative consequences such as being fined or penalised for unclean conditions. 

4. Access to personal protective equipment (PPE) 

As mentioned previously, senior residents who stay in aged care facilities have weakened immune systems which makes them more vulnerable and susceptible to diseases and illnesses. Therefore, extra measures need to be taken to ensure health and safety.

It’s important that facility managers understand this and that the cleaning companies they are considering share this sentiment as well; for example, the importance of wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) when carrying out various cleaning duties on the premises. 

Like healthcare workers, an aged care cleaning company should supply their professional cleaners with adequate PPE such as gloves, face masks, face visors, eye goggles, surgical masks, aprons, and even safety shoes while on cleaning duty. 

Enlist professional cleaning services for aged care facilities

Aged care facilities require due diligence, strict safety protocols, and an experienced cleaning crew to create a safe and sustainable environment in which senior residents and aged care facility workers can coexist. 

This is why facility managers should consider the above criteria when hiring professional cleaning services for aged care facilities, as companies that meet the above criteria have a team of experts who can cater to the cleaning requirements of any aged care facility.