| Summary: |
This study developed a list of target outcomes for long-term oral health care in
persons with dementia. A three-round Delphi study was used to develop a list of
target outcomes. Participants included 99 staff and 171 family members associated
with the Dementia Special Care Unit in Bedford, MA. In Round 1 participants
were asked to list five outcomes for long-term oral health care. Items were
grouped, redundancies removed, and fed back in Round 2, when participants
scored the items from 1 (least important) to 10 (most important). Round 2
responses were tabulated and the top 20 were fed back for scoring in Round 3.
The top 10 target outcomes in decreasing order of importance were: patient will
be free from oral pain, patient will not be at risk for aspiration, emergency dental
treatment will be available when needed, prevent mouth infections, daily mouth
care is as much a part of daily care as shaving or brushing hair, prevent discomfort
from loose teeth or sore gums, teeth will be brushed thoroughly once a day, staff
will be able to provide oral hygiene care as needed, provide dental care to prevent
problems eating, and recognize oral problems early.
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