Keeping local seniors smiling happily
New pilot program to offer dental care for seniors
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This article was published 10/12/2018 (2555 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Hundreds of seniors in St. James will be able to access low-cost dental care thanks to a new pilot program.
The St. James Assiniboia 55-plus Centre has been awarded $10,000 from the Canadian Medical Association to conduct oral health care clinics for seniors in the community. The centre is the sole Manitoba organization to receive a CMA Healthy Canadians Grant this year.
“In August we found out that we were the lucky recipients,” said Meaghan Wilford, executive director of the 55-plus Centre. “We hope to reach 200 seniors in the area by having three clinics.”
The first clinic was held on Nov. 29 for seniors living at a 55-plus housing complex on Country Club Boulevard and included a one-hour education session followed by free screenings with a dental hygienist from the University of Manitoba’s College of Dentistry.
Alan Hume lives in the building and stopped by the clinic because he has been dealing with a broken tooth for several months.
“I know if I go to the dentist, how much it’s going to cost to get it fixed, now I’ll find out what these people can do for me,” he said. “I saw this and I thought it would be a good opportunity because I wouldn’t have to travel.”
Hume and other seniors with dental issues are eligible for a follow up appointment with U of M’s mobile clinic for up to $125 worth of dental work. Clients only have to pay $20 and the 55-plus Centre will cover the rest of the cost with the grant money.
“We would like to provide one service, so either a filling or a cleaning, for as many seniors as we can who aren’t able to go to any other of the clinics due to mobility,” Wilford said.
Right now, the clinics are a one-time event, but Wilford would like to get funding for a more permanent program in the future.
The focus on oral health in seniors is an initiative of the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority’s local Healthy Aging Resource Team (HART), which works closely with the 55-plus Centre.
Lisa Newman is a HART facilitator and says many of the clients she works with complain of dental issues but don’t have the resources to visit the dentist.
“The cost of oral health is very expensive to the average person, let alone someone who’s elderly and on a strict budget,” she said.
Newman says the education component of the clinics is important because neglecting oral health problems can have an impact on overall health, especially in seniors.
“We tend to forget that it’s not just about healthy gums and healthy teeth,” she said.
Not only does poor oral health cause issues like dry mouth and periodontal disease, it also has a direct link to heart disease, pneumonia and diabetes.
HART also runs cooking programs at senior centres in St. James and Newman has noticed some seniors avoid certain foods because of dental issues, which can lead to malnutrition.
The 55-plus centre is offering two more oral health clinics in 2019, one at the seniors centre at 22 Strauss Dr. and one at the organization’s office at 3-203 Duffield St. — dates for those sessions haven’t been set.
Call 204-987-8850 or visit stjamescentre.com for more information.