Challenges to oral healthcare for older people in domiciliary settings in the next 20 years: a general dental practitioner's perspective.
This 'In my opinion' paper has been written by a general dental practitioner who, prior to his recent retirement, had a particular interest in the provision of domiciliary oral healthcare. The paper describes the rapid rise in the number of elderly people with mental illness and the  increasingly dentate older population who pose new challenges for dentists and carers. It considers the different types of care homes for the elderly, challenges, barriers to care and the provision of care in homes for the elderly and those with dementia. It goes on to reflect on the need  for training carers, the role of technicians, and costs. It suggests that there is a need to review treatment planning for those in the early stages of mental illness and improve the availability of domiciliary care. There is a need also to review training and support for carers in the maintenance  of oral health. Its final suggestion is that all of these issues are pressing and will become more so over the next 20 years as the population ages.
sullijoe@gmail.com
Joseph
J
Sullivan
D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers / Q000193:education; D016321:Dental Care for Aged; D003800:Dental Technicians; D005792:General Practice, Dental; D017048:Health Care Costs; D019456:Health Transition; D018577:Homebound Persons; D006707:Homes for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D009735:Nursing Homes; D006113:United Kingdom