Senior living facilities operate around the clock. Residents, employees, visitors and care teams continuously share resident rooms, hallways, dining areas, activity spaces and other common areas.
That makes indoor air quality different from a standard commercial building. Any new treatment system must fit around established cleaning procedures, resident routines, clinical protocols and daily operations.
A 2026 peer-reviewed publication in the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association gives senior living administrators another research point to consider. The prospective cohort study examined infection outcomes in a geriatric long-term care department using continuous hydroxyl radical air disinfection.
The findings are meaningful, but they should be interpreted carefully. They represent results from one specific study setting, not a guarantee that every senior living facility will experience the same outcome.
What the JAMDA Study Reported
The publication, titled Continuous Hydroxyl Radical Air Disinfection and Infection Outcomes in a Geriatric Long-Term Care Department: A Prospective Cohort Study, appeared in JAMDA in May 2026.
According to Pyure’s published summary of the study (https://pyure.com/peer-reviewed-study-shows-pyure-air-purification-technology-reduces-respiratory-infections-by-48-in-senior-care-facilities/), researchers reported a 48% reduction in respiratory and viral infections. The reported infection rate moved from 5.16 to 2.68 per 1,000 patient-days, with a statistically significant result of p < .001.
Pyure also reports that the untreated control group did not show a statistically significant reduction and that no changes were made to staffing, workflows or resident routines during the study.
The complete publication record is available through PubMed and its permanent DOI record.
Awen Natural Air did not conduct or participate in this research. Awen is a Florida reseller and service provider for Pyure® equipment and uses the publication as one research source when discussing the technology with facility decision-makers.
What Does “Per 1,000 Patient-Days” Mean?
Infection rates in healthcare and long-term care environments are often reported per 1,000 patient-days. This measurement accounts for both the number of people being observed and the amount of time they were present.
For example, one resident observed for ten days represents ten patient-days. Ten residents observed for the same period represent 100 patient-days.
Using a standardized rate makes it easier for researchers to compare different study periods. In the JAMDA publication, the reported infection rate moved from 5.16 to 2.68 per 1,000 patient-days. That difference is the basis of the reported 48% reduction.
What the 48% Reduction Does and Does Not Mean
The reported reduction gives senior living operators a measurable outcome to review. It is especially relevant because the research took place in an operating geriatric long-term care department rather than only in a laboratory chamber.
However, the result does not mean every facility will experience a 48% reduction.
Senior living buildings differ in size, layout, ventilation, occupancy, resident population, equipment selection and operating conditions. Those differences can affect how an indoor air strategy performs.
The research also does not suggest that hydroxyl equipment should replace environmental cleaning, HVAC maintenance, ventilation, hand hygiene, clinical procedures, vaccination programs, outbreak-response plans or existing infection-control practices.
Continuous air treatment should be evaluated as a possible additional environmental layer within a broader facility plan.
Why Continuous Treatment Matters in Senior Living
Many air-treatment methods are designed for empty rooms or short treatment periods. That can be difficult in senior living communities where resident rooms, hallways and common areas remain occupied throughout the day.
Facility administrators therefore need to consider more than performance claims. They need to know whether the selected equipment is intended for the proposed occupied environment, where it could be placed without disrupting residents or employees and how it would complement existing HVAC and cleaning procedures.
Electrical access, installation requirements, servicing needs and the option to begin with a limited demonstration should also be considered before a larger decision is made.
Pyure offers portable, installed and HVAC-integrated equipment intended for different facility applications. The appropriate option depends on the building and should be determined through an assessment rather than a one-size-fits-all recommendation.
Active Air Treatment Versus Passive Filtration
Traditional air filters treat air that passes through the filter or HVAC system. This can be useful for capturing dust, pollen and other airborne particles, but it is still a passive process.
Hydroxyl equipment works differently. Pyure technology uses ultraviolet energy to generate hydroxyls and organic oxidants that are dispersed into the treatment area.
This does not mean filtration is unnecessary. In many buildings, the two approaches may serve different purposes. Existing ventilation and filtration systems should remain part of the facility’s indoor air plan.
For senior living decision-makers, the practical question is whether active treatment could provide an additional layer in selected occupied spaces.
Where Should a Facility Begin?
The goal should not be to select equipment before understanding the building.
A senior living assessment should begin by identifying the facility’s priority areas. Depending on the property, those could include resident rooms, memory care areas, dining rooms, activity spaces, hallways, visitor areas, laundry rooms or employee spaces.
The next step is to evaluate room dimensions, airflow, occupancy, existing ventilation, electrical access and the facility’s treatment goals.
Some facilities may want to begin with a demonstration or limited deployment. Others may have a recurring concern that supports a rental, lease, purchase or broader equipment plan.
Starting with a defined area gives the facility an opportunity to evaluate practical fit before considering a larger commitment.
Who Should Be Involved in the Decision?
Indoor air decisions in senior living often involve several stakeholders. Depending on the facility, the review may include ownership, executive leadership, facility management, operations, clinical leadership, infection-control professionals, maintenance teams and compliance or risk-management personnel.
The published research can help begin the conversation, but it cannot replace a building assessment or the facility’s internal approval process.
A JAMDA full senior living air disinfection case study provides a structured review of the study design, reported outcomes, limitations and original research sources.
Awen’s Role for East Central Florida Facilities
Awen Natural Air helps assisted living, memory care, long-term care, retirement and healthcare-adjacent facilities evaluate Pyure equipment in Brevard County and throughout East Central Florida.
Awen’s role is practical and facility-specific. This includes discussing priority treatment areas, room dimensions, airflow, occupancy, operating routines, equipment options, electrical access and servicing requirements.
A facility may decide to begin with a demonstration, rental or limited deployment before considering a lease, purchase or broader equipment plan.
The goal is not to sell one unit and walk away. The goal is to understand the facility, identify the highest-priority spaces and determine whether a practical treatment path exists.
Facilities can review Awen’s senior living air purification options for more information about local assessments and Pyure equipment.
The Practical Takeaway
The 2026 JAMDA publication gives Florida senior living operators a valuable research point to examine. The study reported a 48% reduction in respiratory and viral infections in the geriatric long-term care department that was studied.
That result should not be treated as a guaranteed outcome for another facility. It should be used to support a more informed conversation about whether continuous hydroxyl air treatment may fit alongside the facility’s existing cleaning, ventilation and infection-control procedures.
The appropriate next step is not an automatic equipment purchase. It is a building-specific assessment.
To discuss a Pyure demonstration or senior living facility assessment with Awen Natural Air, call (321) 773-3356 or visit the contact page
If you are the person who has to justify the spend, we built the numbers side out separately. See the business case for air disinfection in senior living, covering VBP exposure, contract staffing costs and how to model a pilot conservatively.
Schedule an assessment or request a Pyure demonstration with Awen Natural Air today.
Bring both research-backed confidence and practical proof-of-concept to your senior living facility.
Call (321) 773-3356 or visit awennatural.com to discuss rentals, equipment sales or servicing for your facility.
Awen Natural Air
Melbourne, FL 32901