Why Assisted Living May Help Improve Dental Hygiene for the Senior in Your Life

November 4, 2015 by ·

Assisted Living in Saraland AL

When you think about seniors, you might have a certain impression when it comes to oral health. Even if the senior in your life relies on dentures, she still needs to take care of her hygiene Assisted-Living-Saraland-ALproperly. There are number of benefits to moving into assisted living, including improving dental or oral hygiene.

Reminders.

Some people simply need reminders that it’s time to take care of their oral hygiene properly. That could include reminding the senior to brush their teeth, gums, take their dentures out and clean them, and more.

These reminders can be scheduled for daily, even twice a day or more often, if necessary.

Physical support.

If seniors have difficulty getting around or doing certain things because of arthritis, diminished strength in their legs, or some other issues, it can make it difficult for them to take care of their oral hygiene properly. A staff member at an assisted living facility will likely be able to support the senior when it’s time for them to take care of these things.

Depending on the facility and how many staff members are working at any given time, the senior may have to wait for the staff to support other people first, but that should never be an excuse to skip proper dental hygiene.

Regular checkups.

Moving into an assisted living facility means access to public transportation or transportation services that are made available directly through the facility. This can increase the potential for visits to the dentist.

Even people who no longer have any of their original teeth should visit the dentist on a regular basis. That’s because certain bacteria can enter the bloodstream through sore and inflamed gums, pass directly to the heart, and increase the risk of developing heart disease or other health issues.

By encouraging regular dental checkups, seniors can be in a better position to take care of their oral hygiene properly and that could lead to a number of other benefits as well.

For anyone considering the prospect of moving into an assisted living facility, there are many benefits and improving dental hygiene is one of them. This month, if you or somebody else is considering assisted living, talk to the administrator to see if there are other programs in place that can improve dental care for residents.

If you or an aging loved one are considering Assisted Living near Saraland, AL, contact Ashbury Manor Specialty Care and Assisted Living at 251-317-3017.

 

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About Cindy Johnson

Ashbury Manor’s Administrator since 2008, Cindy Johnson is a long-time expert in the assisted living field. Prior to her arrival at Ashbury Manor, Cindy managed acquisitions and crisis management for existing and new larger senior care project developments for eleven years. As regional manager for an Oregon-based assisted living management company, Cindy was directly responsible for operations for five 50-65 bed assisted living facilities. As manager during the transition to new ownership, Cindy reorganized internal operations and conducted leadership training for Executive Directors. As a result of her management and expertise, one of the company’s facilities (in Ocala, Florida) received a deficiency-free survey, resulting in the lifting of a moratorium on operation.

A nurse for 36 years, senior care has always been Cindy’s passion. Desiring to work more closely with residents, Cindy became a Category II Administrator in 2005. As Ashbury Manor’s Administrator, Cindy understands the complexities associated with dementia and cognitive impairment and she has fallen in love with seniors with dementia or cognitive impairment and their families.

Cindy is Treasurer of the local “Senior Coalition” chapter. She enjoys mentoring new candidates who want to become administrators.

As a 16-bed facility, with Cindy's training and experience, our residents and their families can be sure Ashbury Manor’s carefully selected staff provides the expertise of a larger facility while maintaining the individualized personal care of a small special needs home.
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