All retirement homes should be regularly inspected for quality indoor air
I work as a nurse in a retirement home near my house, and it’s probably one of the most difficult, yet rewarding places I have ever worked. After spending years in the fast-paced world of the emergency room of our local hospital, I thought that slowing down into a retirement home would be easier on my mental health. It’s definitely slower paced, but I still experience stress and heartache on a pretty regular basis. I’ve learned a lot about senior citizens and the way these homes are run. When I used to visit my grandma in a retirement home, I remember noticing how cold and clear the air felt. Now that I work here, I know first-hand how regularly the air quality and HVAC system is inspected. It’s required that air conditioning maintenance be done every week at our facility to ensure the air quality is in tip top shape for our residents. Our immune systems weaken as we grow with age, so it’s very important that the air we breathe in is clean and sterile. Our usual air conditioning repairman replaces the air filters and tests our air purification system once every other week. I thought this was a bit excessive at first, but so many residents have respiratory issues, so it’s imperative that it’s done this often. Some people think that exposing our immune systems to mid-quality air would benefit them, but this is mainly true for children and adolescents. It’s difficult for our residents’ immune systems to become stronger with time once they have reached a certain age, so by the time they become a resident, they truly need the best quality air to remain healthy for the rest of their life.