A survey of nurses, director-supervisors, and nursing home health aides who provide home care in Iowa showed that many misconceptions exist about what constitutes appropriate oral and dental care practices for the older adult. Despite differences in formal education among these nursing personnel, several misunderstandings about dental problems among older adults were common to all three employment groups. These misconceptions represented a broad range of topics from the characteristics of oral cancer lesions to the appropriate use of denture adhesives; two dealt specifically with the recognition of potential oral cancer lesions. This paper describes attitudes and misinformation held by the respondents, and suggests ways to correct these fallacies through in-service training programs.
Clinical geriatric dentistry has not been an important part of most dental curricula. However, changes in demographic and patient expectations signify that geriatric oral health care can no longer be equated with supplying dentures for an aging population, but must be understood as treatment of the complex needs of a dentate population. The 1975 to 1985 graduates of the University of Iowa College of Dentistry were surveyed to evaluate the influence on dental practice of a comprehensive geriatric dental curriculum introduced in 1980. The post‐1980 graduates were more likely to be practicing in larger population centers and less likely to be treating patients over 75 years of age. The dentists who graduated before 1980 were more likely to be consultants in nursing homes and carrying out examination, emergency care, and/or denture care, whereas the group of dentists who graduated after 1980 and had geriatric clinical experience with frail and functionally dependent older adults were more likely to be carrying out comprehensive care. When given a list of 18 geriatric dental and gerontological topics, few differences were found between cohort groups in terms of knowledge and confidence in carrying out procedures.
Demographic data show that the rural Midwest is becoming less populous and older. As a population gets older, its need for health care servi ces increases, a fact that makes access to health care a growing concer n. One of the many dimensions of access to health care is the a b i l i ty to physically travel to a doctor's office, hospital, or other health care faci l ity. While th is study addresses general issues surrounding rural elders' access to transportation, we pay special attention to their travel to obtai n health care. Rural elders use a variety of means to travel to obtain health care. Some are able to drive their own veh icles, others r ide with family members, fr iends, or neighbors, and others require the services of public transportation. Our r eport focuses on public transportation. We examine how rural Iowans age 75 and over use public transit and discuss the nature and magn i tude of their transit needs. We also assess the capac ity of Iowa's public transit system to meet the needs of rural elders.
When adults with mental retardation retire, many face the challenges of poor health, poverty, and social isolation. These factors are often predictive of a decreased quality of life among retirees who do not have a lifetime disability and are also likely to be factors effecting the retirement experience for older employees with mental retardation, especially those who work in habilitation settings such as sheltered workshops. Employees with mental retardation need early planning through vocational counseling, recreational planning, and residential programs designed to facilitate a successful transition to retirement.
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