To investigate the indoor air quality (IAQ) conditions within care homes to better understand the impact that IAQ has on the effects of Alzheimer's disease and early onset dementia.

Poor IAQ has a direct correlation with respiratory and, in some instances, mental health problems. Vulnerable care home occupant are particularly sensitive to IAQ and the impact of particular forms of air quality pose a particular problem due to close environmental control and residents remaining indoors all the time. CO2 and possibly particulate levels are IAQ parameters that are known to result in poor mental health.

The aim of this study was to monitor indoor air quality (IAQ) within the home buildings over a prolonged three-month long period to profile the levels of different IAQ parameters. Within this report, measured findings have been compared with industry guidelines and secondary literature to comment on the correlation between measured IAQ and known health risks from poor IAQ.

The types of care home investigated were live-in residential homes, which catered for elderly residents many of which had dementia. For this study, a range of different measurement sensors were installed in living spaces within the care homes. These were started in mid-December 2024 and collected at the end of March 2025. Results were analysed and have been presented in this report.

Research Aim:
To investigate IAQ within existing care home settings to better understand whether poor IAQ might be leading to worsening mental health in residents.

Objectives:
1. To investigate the IAQ within four care homes in England to understand whether certain IAQ parameters are higher than expected in such environments. This shall be based on air sampling methods in a care home only. Equipment to be left in common areas / rooms in the care homes.
2. To draw parallels / observations between the findings from care home IAQ measurements and industry benchmarks