Air purifier in nursing homes: protect the health of residents and caregivers with TEQOYA
It is well established that poor indoor air quality (IAQ) can have harmful consequences on our health. Numerous studies demonstrate the negative impacts of exposure to polluted air*, including allergic, respiratory, cardiovascular, and even cancer-related conditions! But what about our seniors, particularly those living in nursing homes? In 2019, more than 500,000 of them already resided in these medicalized retirement homes, which they are increasingly moving into later in life with serious medical conditions.
Often highly dependent and living in enclosed spaces, they are particularly fragile and sensitive to poor indoor air quality. Likewise, healthcare staff, subject to demanding working conditions, are on the front lines when it comes to the consequences of polluted indoor air.
So, how does indoor air quality directly impact residents' living conditions and staff's working environment? What direct benefits can be expected from air purifiers in nursing homes? TEQOYA, an expert in indoor air quality, shares some answers and a testimonial from a satisfied facility!
Nursing Home Residents: A Growing, Vulnerable Population
A Continuously Increasing Number of Residents
Indoor air quality in nursing homes must be addressed for a simple reason: more and more of us will be joining these facilities in the years to come, so our health and comfort are at stake. As INSEE reminds us, population aging has been accelerating since 2011. As of January 1, 2020, residents aged 75 or older already represented nearly one in ten people. By 2040, more than one in four people will be aged 65 or older. With this trend, occupancy of nursing homes is expected to rise by 2050.
Ensuring good air quality is also important considering that residents are being admitted later in life, with greater fragility and increased levels of dependency. At the end of 2019, half of the residents (across all facilities and types of care) were over 88 years old, which is 7 months older than in 2015 (DREES).
A More Fragile Population Facing Indoor Air Contamination
Nursing homes host a vulnerable population that often has chronic illnesses. This fragility increases their health risks, as their immune defenses weaken with age. During a seasonal epidemic, for instance, 30 to 60% could become ill. Unfortunately, they are more likely to develop respiratory comorbidities such as asthma. In the event of a flu outbreak, up to 10% may succumb to the illness (Journal of Infection).
This susceptibility to infection reinforces the need to ensure clean and healthy air for all residents—especially since they spend a lot of time indoors. This tendency to stay in enclosed spaces, particularly in winter, can worsen the discomfort some residents feel in nursing homes due to the sensation of confinement and stale air. Purifying the air and removing pollutants offers residents a feeling of fresh air that can significantly improve their psychological well-being.
Residents are not the only ones affected by poor air quality: healthcare staff are also impacted by this issue.
Nursing Home Caregivers: Frontline Workers Facing Occupational Risks
Working Under Demanding Conditions
Many healthcare workers in nursing homes consider their job to be both physically and mentally demanding (DREES, 2016). On top of this, the risk of epidemics is heightened by insufficiently clean air. Like residents, caregivers face a higher risk of contracting respiratory infections. In U.S. retirement homes, the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report highlighted that up to 25% of staff could be affected during a seasonal flu outbreak. In France, the Court of Auditors revealed in 2022 that the medico-social sector has a rate of sick leave due to workplace accidents or occupational illnesses three times higher than the average across all sectors.
Faced with repeated absences, team members are often under pressure, with shortened rotations and an increased workload. These constant reorganizations create tension and worsen working conditions. In this context, limiting the transmission of viruses by maintaining good air quality is crucial to protect staff.
Better Indoor Air Quality for Improved Working Conditions
Despite these challenges, professionals often remain deeply committed to their work, both professionally and personally (DREES). Solidarity mechanisms between employees are frequently implemented to overcome certain difficulties. Keeping the air fresh and free of viral particles thus appears to be a necessary and welcome support for helping teams in their efforts.
Moreover, it would also improve their productivity. A study demonstrated that improving air quality is associated with a 61% increase in cognitive scores in “green” work environments (Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health). Conversely, continuous exposure to air filled with particles and pollutants naturally leads to reduced productivity, with typical symptoms of poor indoor air quality such as fatigue, headaches, reduced concentration, or increased stress. Improving indoor air quality in nursing homes is therefore a way to support healthcare staff by offering them better working conditions.
A TEQOYA Air Purifier in Nursing Homes: Numerous Benefits for Residents and Healthcare Staff
Protecting the Health of Residents and Staff by Improving Indoor Air Quality
As the French National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety points out that ventilation systems in nursing homes are often inadequate or poorly maintained, mobile air purifiers emerge as a real solution to address the dual challenge of indoor air quality: they help improve the quality of life for both residents and staff while reducing the airborne epidemic risk.
In France, investments in improving ventilation and implementing air purification protocols (filtration, controlled ionization, CO2 sensors) have already demonstrated, in several pilot nursing homes, a 50% reduction in seasonal respiratory infections—responding to the need to protect both residents and staff (European Respiratory Journal, 2021).
It has also been shown that the installation of HEPA air purifiers in a retirement home reduced fine particle (PM2.5) concentration by 40%, significantly lowering the incidence of colds and flu-like symptoms.
TEQOYA Air Purifiers: A Solution with Many Advantages
TEQOYA air purifiers are especially well-suited for air purification in nursing homes:
- They require no disposable filters: reduced maintenance and operating costs
- They neutralize up to 99% of ultrafine particles and germs,
- They are designed for continuous operation (only €3 in electricity consumption per year),
- They are safe: they produce no oxidizing gases or secondary pollutants,
- They are made in France and come with a 10-year warranty.
Discover other uses of our purifiers in medical environments.
Feedback on the Use of an Air Purifier in a Nursing Home
Our purifiers were already used in the “Le Parc Fleuri de Flers en Escrebieux” nursing home in 2020, at the height of the health crisis. A nurse working in the facility contacted us to request support in equipping their common areas with our air purifiers. Here is what she said: "Given the health situation and the resulting pressure, we are looking for something to encourage and boost the morale of our teams during this fight."
The use of our ionizers was appreciated by both staff and residents, as shown in the thank-you letter they sent: "A big thank-you on behalf of the entire nursing home team to Teqoya for the donation of purifiers. They are beautiful, compact, and quiet, and will be very beneficial for both residents and staff. We also want to thank nurse Lucas Sandrine for the initiative!"
Conclusion:
Air purifiers in nursing homes can offer real benefits for both residents and healthcare staff. They help improve living conditions in these facilities by continuously providing clean, fresh air for greater comfort. At the same time, they drastically reduce the risk of airborne microbial transmission. To learn more about the use of our ionizers in establishments open to vulnerable individuals (nurseries, schools, retirement homes), read our dedicated article.
Sources:
- * Santé Publique France, “What are the health effects of indoor air pollution?” (01/24/2024)
- DREES, “Residents in elderly care facilities are increasingly older and dependent” (07/12/2022)
- DREES, “Working conditions in nursing homes perceived as difficult by highly committed staff” (09/22/2016)
- French Senate, information reports on the situation in nursing homes (09/25/2024)
- European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, “Surveillance of COVID-19 in long-term care facilities in the EU/EEA” (11/29/2019)
- Journal of Infection, Study by Lansbury et al. (2017)
- CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
- WHO, Global Report on Ageing and Health (2015)
- French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES) – Indoor air quality
- BEH, Weekly Epidemiological Bulletin, 2017
- 1 Long-Term Care Facilities for Dependent Elderly People
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