J Korean Acad Oral Health.  2013 Dec;37(4):200-207.

Oral health care provided by nursing home employees to elderly residents

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Preventive and Public Health Dentistry, Wonkwang University College of Dentistry, Iksan, Korea. smagn@wonkwang.ac.kr
  • 2Institute of Wonkwang Dental Research, Wonkwang University College of Dentistry, Iksan, Korea.

Abstract


OBJECTIVES
The objective of this study was to investigate the oral health care behavior of nursing home employees caring for elderly residents.
METHODS
Subjects were 480 nursing home workers living in Seoul recruited using convenience sampling. They completed a self-report survey.
RESULTS
Results showed that 84.6% of respondents reporting having brushed the teeth of the elderly residents, while 81.7% brushed their dentures. Further, 62.3% reported having received at least one session of oral health care training. When asked to identify the problem with oral health care for the elderly residents, the most common answer was "lack of knowledge on oral health care." Further, respondents most frequently found "proper way of brushing teeth" followed by "methods to prevent periodontal diseases" the oral care topics on which they needed information.
CONCLUSIONS
It is necessary to develop an oral health care education program for employees of nursing homes for elderly adults.

Keyword

Elderly; Employee; Nursing home; Oral health

MeSH Terms

Adult
Aged*
Surveys and Questionnaires
Dentures
Education
Humans
Methods
Nursing Homes*
Nursing*
Oral Health*
Seoul
Tooth

Reference

References

1. Ministry of Health and Welfare. 2011 The list of long-term care institutions. Seoul: Ministry of Health & Welfare;2009. p. 339–340.
2. Peltola P, Vehkalahti MM, Simoila R. Effects of 11-month interventions on oral cleanliness among the long-term hospitalised elderly. Gerodontology. 2007; 24:14–21.
Article
3. Shin RH, Bae EK, Choi SH, Park II, Ohyama T, Chung MK. Analysis of current nursing homes in Korea and to assess the role and prospect of dentists in comparison to Japanese long term care insurance system. J Korean Acad Prosthodont. 2008; 46:83–91.
4. Park MS. Educational needs in the provision of oral care by nursing staff in long-term care facility for elderly people. J Korean Gerontol Nurs. 2010; 12:72–80.
5. Boehmer U, Kressin NR, Spiro A 3rd. Preventive dental behaviors and their association with oral health status in older white men. J Dent Res. 1999; 78:869–877.
Article
6. Frenkel H, Harvey I, Newcombe RG. Improving oral health in institutionalised elderly people by educating caregivers: a randomised controlled trial. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2001; 29:289–297.
Article
7. Park SS, Park SH. A Study on recognition of dental health care in caregiver. J Occup Ther Aged Dementia. 2010; 4:1–9.
8. Yang YJ, Kim JH. Perceived needs for nursing of elders in a nursing home. J Korean Gerontol Nurs. 2007; 9:115–123.
9. Kim YH. Attitude and practice related to oral care of geriatric care helpers [master’s thesis]. Daegu: Keongbuk University;2011. [Korean].
10. Moon YM. Oral health behavior factors related to caregivers of elderly care facility [master’s thesis]. Seosan: HanSeo University;2012. [Korean].
11. Jeon MJ, Kim DK, Lee BJ. Oral health status of elderly long-term hospitalized patients with and without dementia in Jeollanam-do, South Korea. J Korean Acad Oral Health. 2008; 32:299–308.
12. Kim YN, Kwon HK. Subjective oral health perception of Korean low socio-economic elderly. J Korean Acad Oral Health. 2004; 28:257–265.
13. Yang SB, Moon HS, Han DH, Lee HY, Chung MK. Oral health status and treatment need of institutionalized elderly patients. J Korean Acad Prosthodont. 2008; 46:455–469.
Article
Full Text Links
  • JKAOH
Actions
Cited
CITED
export Copy
Close
Share
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
Similar articles
Copyright © 2024 by Korean Association of Medical Journal Editors. All rights reserved.     E-mail: koreamed@kamje.or.kr