Self-Reported Dental Visits Among Older Adults Receiving Home- and Community-Based Services

Factors Associated with the Utilization of Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Among Older Adults: A Systematic Review of the Last Decade

Home and community-based services (HCBS) for older adults have been promoted worldwide to address the growing problems of aging. This systematic review included 59 studies published from 2013 to 2023 to explore factors influencing the utilization of HCBS among older adults. The review identified 15 common factors grouped into four levels of influence: individual, inter-relationship, community, and social contextual levels. The findings suggest that HCBS utilization is a dynamic process influenced by multiple factors at different levels. Gerontological social work should incorporate ecological thinking to improve practice and strengthen caregiver-recipient relationships.

Is dental education meeting the oral health needs of older adults?

The aim of this article is to highlight the importance of promoting oral health for the geriatric population and implementing change to address their complex oral and systemic health needs. Oral healthcare providers are unequipped to meet the demanding oral health needs of the aging population, resulting in a geriatric oral health crisis that needs immediate attention and action. Despite the advancements in geriatric education over the last two decades, the geriatric curriculum in 2022 is still inadequate, and varies greatly among different US dental schools for both pre- and postdoctoral programs. Predoctoral students are graduating without being sufficiently trained to identify and treat the dental issues of older adults due to lack of a purposely planned curriculum with balanced didactic and clinical exposure. It is critical to have a trained and competent workforce that meets the oral health needs of current and future older adults. To change the present environment, there is a need for curriculum redesign, faculty development, and training. In addition, more research to evaluate pre- and postdoctoral geriatric dentistry curricula, their impact on increasing access to care, and the likelihood of graduating dentists competent to treat functionally dependent and frail older adults is needed. Furthermore, decision-makers in dental education, national dental organizations, and government institutions must support policies that integrate oral health into overall health through robust reimbursement mechanisms, including a dental benefit in Medicare, and recognition of geriatric dentistry as a specialty.