In most senior living facilities, the bulk of the workforce consists of women, especially in areas like housekeeping and operations. However, these women are often sidelined during critical discussions revolving around innovation and infection control, which could lead to an organizational loss of valuable insights relating to workflow, chemical safety, outbreak response, and overall resident comfort.
Senior living facilities need to prioritize environmental safety as a strategic issue instead of merely ticking off a compliance box. Such an approach promises improvements in staff retention, resident outcomes, and resilience in the longer term. In the realm of senior living, infection prevention isn’t simply a policy on paper; to the contrary, it encompasses the hands-on work carried out every day by people, who routinely service resident rooms, disinfect high-touch areas, and respond to outbreak situations.
Norelle Done, Director of Marketing at Viking Pure Solutions, argues that women, who are often disproportionately represented in cleaning and operational roles, should not be left out of the innovation and purchasing decisions that directly shape how infection control procedures are implemented.
Done believes that the exclusion of frontline women from decision-making processes concerning chemical safety, product selection, and environmental protocols can trigger a disconnection between policy and practice. When people who don’t do the work end up designing innovation, infection control can sadly end up as a theoretical concept rather than a functional one.
In senior living, the environment is an integral part of care. Consequently, it is highly recommended that the voices forming environmental safety policies should echo the voices of those delivering the care.
Studies suggest that when frontline women have a say in chemical usage, product selection, and protocols, it leads to significant improvement in staff safety and retention, culture, and workflow efficiency. Inclusion not only fosters a safer work environment, but it also streamlines work processes and mandates. Moreover, it alters the perception of cleaning from a potentially hazardous task to one that aligns with the broader goal of caregiving.
Looking ahead, senior living organizations need to take practical steps to ensure that women, particularly those on the frontline and in operational roles, are playing a key role in shaping the course of innovation rather than just implementing decisions taken without their inputs. Engage them early in the process, establish formal feedback loops, enhance representation, and treat environmental safety as a strategic priority.