196607 Efficacy of an interdisciplinary clinical approach to oral health disparities in long term care

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Sandra Nagel Beebe, RDH, PhD , School of Allied Health, Dental Hygiene/Health Care Management Internship Coordinator, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL
Delvin Champagne, COTA/L, BS , Health, Human Performance and Leisure Studies, Howard University Graduate School, Washington, D.C, DC
Healthy People 2010 have stated, the Mouth is a Mirror for the body. This constantly used statement needs to be addressed by Healthcare professionals for long term care (LTC) residents. Common situations in LTC centers occur with slow or non-healing of simple sores or ulcerations. Healing fails to take place. Patients receive medications and are provided the ultimate care for cleansing and open sores or lesions. Frustration impacts routine care due to no changes during the proposed healing process. Systemic diseases are prevalent but LTC facilities do not realize the potential for how the two concepts impact each other for the healing process to occur. Presenters will provide rational of why LTC facilities need to understand the simple facts for integrating medical care with oral care. Various methods will be explored to provide care through a variety of channels in the LTC facility. Understanding various problems will be presented to see the pro's and con's of what results when treating only half the problem for the residents. Future/Potential training and education begins from the top down through the Administrative offices, to the doctors, nurses, nutritionists, and trickling down to all staff members. Specific course of action needs to be identified to assist patients in the healing process. Integrating various department levels of professionals in the work place may lead to reduced infections and systemic disorders through education and applying the fundamentals of proper oral care to their basic daily care at the LTC facility.

Learning Objectives:
1. Discuss innovative ways to interweave interdisciplinary medical care with oral care (provide reduction of systemic disease); 2. Understand how reduced oral care impacts numerous systemic diseases prevalent in geriatrics; 3. Discuss the relationships between wounds/infections in a geriatric resident with oral disease; 4. Educate the administrative staff down to reduce medical expenditures related to the systemic system in dealing with the whole person to reduce or prevent illnesses.

Keywords: Access to Health Care, Nursing Homes

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: Been in dental profession 34 years; worked with hygiene students in Long Term Care residence for 9 years; past and presently teaching long term care;education specialty area is geriatrics
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: Addressing Oral Health Workforce Issues
See more of: Oral Health