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