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Nursing homes, skilled nursing facilities, and assisted living facilities, (collectively known as long-term care facilities, LTCFs) provide a variety of services, both medical and personal care, to people who are unable to manage independently in the community. Over 4 million Americans are admitted to or reside in nursing homes and skilled nursing facilities each year and nearly one million persons reside in assisted living facilities. Data about infections in LTCFs are limited, but it has been estimated in the medical literature that:

  • 1 to 3 million serious infections occur every year in these facilities.
  • Infections include urinary tract infection, diarrheal diseases, antibiotic-resistant staph infections and many others.
  • Infections are a major cause of hospitalization and death; as many as 380,000 people die of the infections in LTCFs every year.

 

Doctor talking to elderly lady in nursing home

National Action Plan to Prevent Health Care-Associated Infections: Road Map to Elimination The Department of Health and Human Services has developed a strategy to address infections in Long-term Care Facilities in Phase 3 of the National Action Plan to Prevent Health Care-Associated Infections: Road Map to Elimination


National Nursing Home Quality Improvement Campaign
Making nursing homes better places to live, work, and visit. 
National Nursing Home Quality Improvement Campaign

Other Resources

Other CDC Links for LTC Settings

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