A new survey has shown that almost all Canadians believe that oral healthcare should be an important part of the new national standards for long-term care. The new standards have been planned for a long time. Most Canadians also believe the current state of oral care for older adults and seniors is unsatisfactory. The findings of the survey suggests that oral healthcare should be a priority for older adults.
A national survey undertaken by Abacus Data for the Canadian Dental Hygienists Association (CDHA) has shown almost all Canadians believe that oral healthcare should be included as part of the new national standards for long-term care.
Interestingly, most Canadians are also of the opinion that the current state of oral healthcare for older adults and seniors are poor. Based on the results of the survey, the CDHA have made a range of recommendations.
This survey comes at an important time. Because the new and long-awaited national standards for long-term care have been released in draft format, the results of this survey show public opinion. This could result in changes being made by authorities.
What are the new national standards for long-term care homes?
The national standards for long-term care were first set out in 2014 [1]. These standards are set by the Canadian federal government. They aim to improve Canada’s long-term care facilities.
Plans for a revision to the original standards started in March 2021 [1]. The new proposals were somewhat instigated by Covid-19. Long-term care facilities, typically for older adults and seniors, have been hit hard by Covid-19. There are over 400,000 Canadian residents in such homes.
Of the first 30,000 deaths in Canada from Covid-19, over half of them occurred in long-term care and retirement homes [1]. Therefore, it was clear that those who reside in these homes need assistance.
Elder citizens are at a higher risk of inflammation, oral bacteria and gum disease [2]. Therefore, this makes oral healthcare being a priority for this age range. Many have argued oral healthcare must form part of the new standards.
The survey
Abacus Data carried out a survey on 2,200 Canadian residents between January 7 and January 12 [3]. Their sample was carefully chosen. The sample reflected Canada’s population in terms of age, gender, education and region [3]. Therefore, this helped to ensure their results would offer a reliable overall picture.
The survey asked the participants a range of questions about their opinions on the current state of oral healthcare for those in long-term care. Moreover, they were also asked for their opinions on the new standards, and whether or not oral healthcare should be included [3].
When asked about the current state of oral health services in long-term care, 47% of respondents said that these services are “non-existent or minimal” [3]. Just 7% of respondents said they were “excellent or good” [3].
Over 50% of respondents agreed that seniors face many challenges in accessing professional oral healthcare [3]. Such challenges include financial problems, lack of support and mobility problems. Moreover, another challenge was poor education and awareness for the importance of oral health and how it affects overall health [3].
Then, 88% of respondents said that they wanted to see oral healthcare integrated into the national standards [3]. As a result, these findings show the dire public opinion of oral healthcare for seniors. Therefore, it is clear that an overwhelming part of the public wants changes to be made.
CDHA Recommendations
The CHDA, which is made up of over 20,000 dental professionals in Canada, have put forward some recommendations based on the results of the survey. These recommendations were announced as part of a recent report that the CDHA released [4].
The CDHA stated that their report had the intention of “increasing awareness of the connection between oral and overall health” [4]. Moreover, they also wanted to present the evidence of the importance of including oral healthcare in the new national standards.
They made five recommendations [4]:
- The importance of integrating professional dental staff with long-term care homes as part of a “comprehensive program of oral health services” to meet the dental needs of residents.
- Provide regular oral healthcare services for long-term care home residents. This includes assessments, personalized treatment plans and treatment where needed.
- All staff members of long-term care homes should receive education on the importance of oral health. This education should be developed and then delivered by dental hygienists.
- Implementation of new legislation to ensure that there are minimum standards for oral healthcare for long-term care homes.
- The creation of accreditation standards specific to oral health services in long-term care homes. This would make oral healthcare a priority for care homes./li>
The CDHA believe that the above recommendations can lead to an improvement in oral healthcare for older adults and seniors. As a result, it could result in an improved quality of life.
What this means
Because of the survey’s results and subsequent recommendations, it is clear that there are significant improvements that can be made to oral healthcare in long-term care homes. As a result, the oral health of older adults and seniors should improve.
The CDHA President Wendy Stewart has spoken about the recommendations and overall state of oral healthcare in Canada [5]. Stewart mentioned that “pain, discomfort, difficulties chewing and swallowing” are all consequences of untreated oral conditions [5].
She went on to say that the oral health needs of the “vulnerable population” of long-term care home residents cannot be ignored [5]. Stewart particularly pointed to the importance of their recommendation on educating staff and residents.
Furthermore, Stewart has said that the “CDHA urges the federal government to incorporate oral hygiene services into its standards for long-term care” [5]. The CDHA will hope that their recommendations are implemented.
The standards will now undergo a 60-day public review. Canadians are able to give their feedback on the standards on the Health Standards website – which you can access by clicking here. Then, the final version will be published later in 2022.
Thinking points…
- 1) Do you have a family member or friend that are in a long-term care home? If so, access to oral healthcare can be poor. Could you assist them in booking an appointment to get a check-up? This will have a positive impact on not only their oral health, but also their overall physical health.
- 2) To improve your long-term oral health, it is important to regularly attend check-ups. This can help your overall health when you are older. We recommend that you attend a check-up once every six months. Consider booking one now – and you can check the current state of your oral health and get treatment if necessary.
What we offer at Savanna Dental
Savanna Dental is a Calgary dental clinic that provides its patients with a warm welcome, a comfortable experience and advice whenever needed.
We recommend that our patients attend our Calgary-based dental clinic twice a year for a regular dental check-up. When problems are detected, we have many treatments available. For instance, these include cavity fillings and root canals. We also have some cosmetic treatments too!
Importantly, we recommend brushing your teeth at least twice a day and flossing regularly. Moreover, eating healthily and trying to avoid sugary foods and drink is helpful.
Our Calgary-based dental clinic Savanna Dental also follows the Alberta Dental Fee Guide. This means our prices are competitive, transparent and affordable.
We would love you to visit us here at Savanna Dental soon! You can see more about us by visiting our website https://savannadental.ca.
References
