Senior living care facilities, including nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and retirement communities, are facing a growing challenge with bed bug infestations. The prevalence of bed bugs in these environments poses significant risks to the health and well-being of elderly residents. In this blog, we’ll explore the factors contributing to the rise of bed bugs in senior living care facilities and discuss strategies to address this escalating problem.
WHAT ARE BED BUGS?
Bed bugs, scientifically known as Cimex lectularius, are small, reddish-brown insects that feed exclusively on the blood of humans and animals. These nocturnal pests belong to the family Cimicidae and are commonly found in warm environments, particularly in areas where people sleep or rest.
WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF A BED BUG INFESTATION?
1. Unexplained Bites:
One of the most telltale signs of a bed bug infestation is waking up with unexplained bites on your skin. Bed bug bites often appear as small, red welts or clusters of bites, typically in a linear or zigzag pattern. These bites are commonly found on areas of the body exposed during sleep, such as the face, neck, arms, and hands.
2. Bloodstains on Bedding:
Bed bugs feed by piercing the skin and extracting blood from their hosts. As a result, you may notice small bloodstains on your sheets, pillowcases, or mattress covers. These stains can result from accidentally squashing a bed bug while sleeping or from bed bug excrement, which may contain digested blood.
3. Fecal Spots:
Bed bug feces, also known as fecal spots or droppings, appear as small, dark, rusty-colored stains on bedding, mattresses, walls, or furniture. These spots are often concentrated in areas where bed bugs congregate or travel, such as along mattress seams, bed frames, or baseboards.
4. Shed Skins:
Like other insects, bed bugs undergo a process called molting, where they shed their exoskeletons as they grow. These discarded exoskeletons, known as shed skins or casings, resemble translucent, empty shells and can accumulate in areas where bed bugs hide or travel, such as mattress seams, cracks, or crevices.
5. Live Bugs:
In advanced infestations, you may encounter live bed bugs crawling on surfaces or hiding in cracks, crevices, or other hiding places. Adult bed bugs are approximately the size of an apple seed and have flat, oval-shaped bodies. They are reddish-brown in color, but may appear darker after feeding.
6. Musty Odor:
In some cases, a musty or sweet odor may be present in rooms with a significant bed bug infestation. This odor is caused by bed bug pheromones and is often described as being similar to the scent of coriander or almonds. While not always present, the presence of a foul odor can be an additional indicator of bed bug activity.
WHY THEY ARE ON THE RISE IN THESE FACILITIES?
1. Increased Mobility:
Elderly residents in senior living care facilities often receive visitors, attend social gatherings, or participate in group activities, increasing the likelihood of bed bug introduction from external sources. Visitors may inadvertently bring bed bugs into the facility on their clothing, luggage, or personal belongings, leading to infestations in resident rooms and communal areas.
2. Limited Mobility and Detection:
Elderly individuals may have limited mobility or sensory impairments that hinder their ability to detect bed bugs or report infestations promptly. As a result, bed bug infestations in senior living care facilities may go unnoticed or unreported for extended periods, allowing the pests to proliferate and spread throughout the facility.
3. Shared Living Spaces:
Senior living care facilities often feature shared living spaces, including bedrooms, bathrooms, and common areas, where bed bugs can easily spread from one resident’s living quarters to another. Additionally, communal furniture, such as chairs, sofas, and dining tables, provide ideal harborage sites for bed bugs to hide and reproduce.
4. High Turnover Rates:
Senior living care facilities may experience high turnover rates due to factors such as resident transfers, hospitalizations, or admissions. These transitions create opportunities for bed bugs to be introduced into the facility or transmitted between residents, exacerbating infestation problems.
5. Challenges with Treatment:
Traditional bed bug treatment methods, such as chemical pesticides, may pose health risks to elderly residents or be impractical to implement in senior living care facilities due to safety concerns or regulatory restrictions. As a result, facilities may face challenges in effectively eradicating bed bug infestations and preventing their recurrence.
STRATEGIES FOR MITIGATION:
1. Education and Awareness:
Implementing education and awareness programs for residents, staff, and visitors can help increase understanding of bed bug prevention, detection, and management strategies.
2. Regular Inspections:
Conducting routine inspections of resident rooms, common areas, and furnishings can facilitate early detection of bed bug infestations and prompt intervention measures.
3. Integrated Pest Management (IPM):
Adopting an IPM approach that combines non-chemical methods, such as heat treatment, vacuuming, and steam cleaning, with targeted pesticide applications can effectively control bed bug infestations while minimizing risks to residents and staff.
4. Collaboration with Pest Management Professionals:
Partnering with licensed pest management professionals who specialize in bed bug control can provide senior living care facilities with expertise and resources to effectively address bed bug infestations and implement proactive prevention measures.
PREVENT BED BUG INFESTATIONS
Here are the steps your community should take to prevent bed bug infestations if any warning signs are present among your residents.
1. Suspected/Confirmed Infestation
If bed bugs are suspected or confirmed in a resident’s living area:
• Notify management
• Inspect the room/apartment
• If bed bugs are present, notify the Executive Director and Director of Housekeeping
2. Confirmed Infestation Protocol
To prevent the further spread of bed bugs throughout your community:
• Contact a professional exterminator
• Inspect adjacent living and common areas
• Safely and properly clean the affected area to physically remove bugs:
• Vacuum the mattress, carpets, and upholstered furniture
• Dispose of sweeper bag in outside trash
• Wipe down all non-upholstered furniture
• Clean all bedding in hot water and hot dryer
• Wash the resident’s clothing
• Temporarily move the resident to another room/apartment
• DO NOT TAKE ANY BELONGINGS FROM THE INFECTED AREA TO THE NEW LOCATION.
• Place two changes of clothing in a plastic bag, taking them directly to the laundry room and launder them on the hottest settings, then return them to the resident in their temporary living area.
• Conduct follow-up inspections
• Perform routine inspection and discourage clutter
• Discretely examine furniture new residents might bring into the facility
CONTACT ECO BED BUG TODAY FOR YOUR PEST CONTROL SERVICES
At ECO Bed Bug Exterminators Baltimore, bed bug remediation is not simply about getting rid of bed bugs. We educate our customers in all the ways they can prevent infestations from becoming a major issue. If your retirement home needs assistance with bed bugs, reach out to us today. We look forward to helping you keep your entire community bed bug-free!
