Oral health among older adults in UK care homes has been a growing concern, prompting researchers to investigate the effectiveness and cost-efficiency of targeted interventions based on the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines.
Implementation Across Care Homes
Conducted in 22 care facilities across two regions, the study selected participants who could benefit from enhanced oral care and were capable of consenting to the intervention. The program emphasized staff training, regular oral health assessments, personalized care plans, and daily mouth care routines for residents. Data collection encompassed both quantitative measures, such as EQ5D5L quality of life assessments at multiple intervals, and qualitative insights from resident and manager interviews.
Key Findings and Stakeholder Insights
Of the 119 residents initially involved, 115 provided valid baseline data. Feedback from managers at seven of the 22 homes revealed consistent documentation of care activities and funding sources, highlighting care assistants’ time as a significant resource factor. Residents’ overall quality of life emerged as a critical outcome metric for managers. Stakeholders universally recognized the imperative to bolster the evidence base regarding the financial viability of interventions aligned with NICE guidelines.
- Care assistant time allocation significantly impacts resource management.
- Quality of life improvements are a primary concern for management.
- There is a notable demand for robust economic evaluations of oral health interventions.
The research underscores the necessity for comprehensive economic evaluations in future trials to bridge the existing evidence gap concerning oral hygiene initiatives in the care home setting.
Effective oral health care in elderly populations not only enhances quality of life but also potentially reduces broader healthcare costs by preventing complications related to poor dental hygiene. Implementing evidence-based guidelines, like those from NICE, ensures that interventions are both clinically effective and financially sustainable. As the population ages, such studies are crucial in shaping policies that support the well-being of older adults in care facilities. Future research should focus on long-term outcomes and scalability of successful programs to maximize benefits across diverse care environments.
This article has been prepared with the assistance of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more details, please refer to our Terms and Conditions. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author.
