Rhonda L Stuart
Monash Infectious Diseases, Monash Health, Clayton Rd Clayton, 3168
Monash University
National Centre for Antimicrobial Stewardship
rhonda.stuart@monashhealth.org
In Australia the number of people aged 85 and over is projected to quadruple from 0.4 to 1.8 million by 2050, and one-third of these will live in residential aged care.
The elderly are at a higher risk of infection and aged care residents develop 1-3 infections per year. Multiply-resistant organisms (MRO) and C. difficile are recognized important causes of infection in aged care residents. Antimicrobials account for 40% of prescribed medications in aged care.
Infection control standards in Aged care differ to the acute sector and focus on care and quality in a setting that is the resident’s home. These differences will be discussed in this session as well as the challenges to the achievement of quality in the aged care setting