Improving Oral Health for Seniors
2016
This case explores the “improving Seniors’ Mouthcare In Long-term care Establishments” (iSMILE) project, a health-promotion initiative aimed at improving seniors’ oral health by targeting caregivers in the province of Ontario, Canada. The cost of dental treatment can serve as a barrier to accessing dental services for those who cannot afford them, and leads to poor oral health. Ontario’s universal healthcare coverage does not include oral healthcare, and publicly funded programs provide dental services for low-income children but lack a program for older adults despite the fact that seniors, especially those at long-term care establishments (LTCE), are more susceptible to dental diseases. The iSMILE program was created to target this vulnerable subgroup. The case follows the development of the project into a community-funded grant, and how health promoter Michaela Joseph followed a 12-week timeline to carry out the project based on the funding provided.
The case includes guidance for instructors, including learning objectives and discussion questions. It is the eighth in an 11-case collection written by students in the MPH class of the Schulich Interfaculty Program in Public Health at Western University, Canada. The cases may be freely copied and used for educational purposes by an accredited educational institution.
Improving Oral Health for Seniors
Source:
Udoh E et al. iSMILE Project – Improving Seniors’ Mouthcare in Long-Term Care Establishments. Western Public Health Casebook. Public Health Casebook Publishing 2016. https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/westernpublichealthcases/vol2016/iss1/14.