Talk About a Pesky Situation (Oklahoma)

Recently, a dietitian completed an audit for an assisted living community in Oklahoma. Upon entering the kitchen, the dietitian identified that there was a lack of effective pest control. This was evidenced by ants in the kitchen near the back door, mice droppings in the storeroom, and there were flies in the food preparation area. The community is scheduled for pest control specialist visits every 90 days. The dietitian identified that there a several holes in the outside wall of the kitchen, pipes that were not sealed, and two doors that were not closing correctly. There were also several trash cans that were not in use with the lids removed.

Working with the community, the dietitian recommended to have monthly pest control visits. When problems are identified, the community will now contact the pest control company to request an “aggressive” pest control service. This could be between visits as issues are identified. Maintenance was also involved in repairing the holes in the walls and sealing the walls around the pipes. Staff were inserviced on proper trash removal. The trash should be taken out right away and the trash can lid should be placed on top of the trash can when not in use. The training was documented and placed in an inservice binder.