Aim:

The aim of Gerodent PLUS is to promote good oral health and to create the currently absent continuity in the provision of oral care for the rapidly growing group of vulnerable elderly living at home at the level of primary care regions. This goal is pursued through (1) improved interprofessional collaboration between caregivers and (2) improving access to oral care for frail and care-dependent elderly people who stay at home or in a form of sheltered housing or intermediate housing with or without support. We do the latter by increasing oral health literacy among care recipients and raising awareness among oral care professionals to improve access to their care environment. Finally (3) we want to motivate vulnerable elderly living at home to seek regular oral care by offering a low-threshold check-up and information giving in a non-dental setting. The project focuses on two primary care regions so  context-specific and transdisciplinary collaboration can be achieved in function of the needs in the region.

Target group:

• Care recipients: frail and care-dependent home-dwelling elderly people
• Informal caregivers of frail and care-dependent home-dwelling elderly people
• Formal caregivers: healthcare professionals and welfare workers active within the primary care regions who can play an active role in oral care at the level of prevention and referral (general practitioners, care and nurses, home care, pharmacists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, dietitians, OCMW, CAW, ...) in collaboration with oral care professionals (dentists, dental hygienists).

Course:

Part one of the Gerodent PLUS project (1/2/2022 – 31/8/2024) focused on assessing knowledge, attitudes, needs and barriers regarding regular oral care and dental visits of care-dependent home-dwelling elderly people and their informal caregivers. A similar investigation was conducted towards professional caregivers, regarding interprofessional collaboration for oral health care. This was done through using both qualitative and quantitative research methods, within the two primary care regions involved (ELZ Rits en Scheldekracht) and in collaboration with a stakeholders group. The results and insights enabled to develop interventions towards both caregivers and care recipients, based on previously determined needs and the local context, to improve daily oral care and interprofessional collaboration. The interventions are discussed within the stakeholders group, the informal care organisation 'De Zorgsamen' and PAWO (the UZ Gent patient advisory board for research).

Part 2 of the Gerodent PLUS project (1/9/2024 - 31/8/2026)  will focus on the further development, implementation and evaluation of the interventions within the primary care regions ELZ Rits and Scheldekracht. Through an oral health promotion campaign (brochures, webinars,...) based on the needs and barriers of the care recipients and their informal caregivers, we ensure that they are empowered to improve their oral health or that of their loved ones. This will be disseminated via the already existing structures with which care recipients come into contact (e.g. health promotion organisations, local authorities, informal care associations, home care organisations,…) and health professionals in the primary care regions. In addition, workshops addressing knowledge and skills regarding oral health care will be organised for care recipients and their informal caregivers. Furthermore, we will  ivestigate whether a low-threshold check-up in a non-dental setting can motivate vulnerable elderly to seek professional oral care.

At the level of healthcare professionals we will initially focus on the interprofessional collaboration between the general practitioner, the dentist and the pharmacist. The intervention will involve the organisation of 'living room discussions' and the development of an e-learning module, based on previous determined needs and with the focus on interprofessional collaboration. The process and effect evaluation will enable the optimisation the developed materials. Finally, a toolbox will be developed in collaboration with the stakeholders with which care councils can work to integrate oral care into the care and welfare offer and to make interprofessional collaboration run more smoothly.