6 Steps to Design an Effective Pest Control Strategy in Your Senior Living Facility

Effective pest control comes with unique challenges for senior care communities. Centralized, shared spaces make it easy for infestations to grow, while visitors and staff may carry pests into the building on their clothing.

Pests can pose serious risks to residents’ health and infestations may lead to regulatory violations, making it essential for communities to establish an effective pest control strategy.

Read on to learn 6 steps that can make pest control easier and more effective for your facility.

1. Develop a Customized Plan

Rick Culbreth Jr., president at Yates-Astro Termite & Pest Control

A one-size-fits-all pest control plan is rarely an effective solution for senior care communities. “The pest management plan should be built around the layout of the facility, how residents and staff use different areas, and where pest activity is occurring,” explains Rick Culbreth Jr., president at Yates-Astro Termite & Pest Control.

Pest control plans should also minimize disruption to residents while still addressing the conditions that create the pest issue.

2. Be Proactive

Senior care communities should be proactive and establish regular inspections for pests. Pest treatments in senior living facilities often involve opening windows or moving residents out of rooms, causing temporary relocation which could be difficult for residents with limited mobility.

Frequent inspections can help catch pests early on, preventing the need to use more aggressive treatments like fogging or large amounts of pesticide.

Nicole Carpenter, president at Black Pest Prevention

Nicole Carpenter, president at Black Pest Prevention, recommends incorporating pest inspections into your community’s daily routine by asking staff who clean rooms, do laundry, and handle food or trash to look for signs of pests while performing maintenance. “Building pest checks into established tasks is the best approach because things like cleaning and laundry are being performed daily, making it easier to spot problems early,” she says.

Some of the most common pests in senior care communities are bed bugs, cockroaches, and rodents. Staff members can check sheets, look for droppings along the baseboards, and watch for signs near the trash and food to catch pests before they become a serious infestation.

In addition to daily checks performed by staff, Carpenter recommends having a professional inspection done once every three months if there are no known pest problems. If the facility has ongoing risks or a history of pest infestations, professional inspections should be performed once a month.

3. Focus on Safety

If pursuing professional treatment, safety should be the top priority. The pest control professional should be informed about the community’s layout and daily operations. It’s important to highlight any sensitive areas, such as food preparation and storage spaces, resident areas, and areas that contain sensitive equipment.

With that information, the professional should choose treatment methods and schedule treatments to minimize disruptions and exposure. Staff should also know which precautions to take before and after treatment.

4. Choose a Quality Pest Control Company

Before choosing a pest control company, senior care communities should thoroughly research and interview potential candidates. Carpenter emphasizes the importance of making sure the company has a current state license and insurance, and that they provide detailed service reports showing what they found and what products they used. She also recommends choosing a company with an integrated pest management or green pest control program that uses traps, sealing, and targeted treatments instead of defaulting to spraying.

Culbreth advises communities to look for a company experienced in working with commercial and healthcare-related facilities. The company should be willing to build a customized program around your community’s specific needs.

“Communication is also extremely important,” he adds. “It’s crucial that the provider clearly explain what problems it finds, what treatments it recommends, and what facility staff should know about each service.”

Additionally, Culbreth recommends looking for a provider that offers flexible scheduling, responsive emergency service, and consistent technicians when possible.

5. Check Belongings During Move-In

Pests may make their way into senior care facilities through any number of routes, but they may also be carried in through residents’ belongings. Carpenter says it’s common for communities to overlook the importance of checking residents’ belongings when they move in from other communities or hospitals.

“Pests like cockroaches and especially bed bugs can hitch a ride with luggage and personal items, and this is how infestations often begin,” she says.

6. Get to the Root of the Issue

Culbreth says it’s a common mistake to treat the symptoms of pests without addressing how the pests get into the building in the first place. For example, communities might set out rodent traps, but unless they identify the entry points the rodents use, the problem can reoccur. “I recommend combining treatment with regular monitoring, exclusion, sanitation improvements, and attention to environmental conditions,” he says.

Communities should also clearly communicate with pest control professionals and facility staff to make sure everyone’s aware that activity has been found and needs to be addressed.

“In the end, the overall goal should be long-term prevention, not just eliminating the current pest problem,” explains Culbreth. “Regular monitoring gives facility managers an opportunity to catch problems early, while sanitation, exclusion, and targeted treatments help address the reasons pests are showing up in the first place. This combination reduces disruptions for residents and staff while also making the facility less attractive and accessible to pests over time.”

Paige Cerulli

Paige Cerulli is a contributing writer to i Advance Senior Care.