Last month, a dental hygienist visited Hilltop House to clean resident Steve Rizun's teeth.
Though it's the sort of service most of us take for granted, Rizun's spouse Hilda described the care provided by hygienist Carmen Levine as "a godsend" that's needed by many of the 75 residents of the seniors care facility. Most are in wheelchairs and have difficulty getting out to visit their dentists for regular and much-needed denture and dental care.
"Getting anyone in a wheelchair from Hilltop to a dental facility is very difficult," Rizun said. "Many of the dental offices are not wheelchair accessible and even if they are, you have to get the HandyDART and wheel them in there it's quite an exercise.
"Many of the people with dentures or who need their teeth cleaned, it could be done up there."
Rizun, Levine and Dr. Lawrence Vanzella, a local dentist, recently persuaded Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) officials, who are responsible for Hilltop House's operation, to designate a room inside the facility for the purpose. Levine is licenced for residential care and recently received the OK to visit when dental hygiene work is needed. Vanzella is now authorized to see patients there when work such as dental reconstructions are needed.
The only thing missing now is a proper dental suite including a dentist's chair and overhead light that cost a total of $30,000 and $40,000. VCH has no funding for that purpose and the group is seeking the community's help to make that happen.
"It's very important to [Dr. Vanzella], to be able to do restorations of teeth, to have a room," Levine said. "Without the chair and without the light, I'm looking in their mouth with a flashlight. It works in a pinch, and it's better than nothing, but now that we've got a room, I'm sure we can put together some funding to do this."
Proper dental hygiene is something that's sorely lacking for many in residential care facilities, from both a health and comfort perspective, Levine said.
"It's just a matter of cleaning the plaque off their teeth. One of the leading causes of death in residential care is aspiration pneumonia that starts from having plaque on their teeth," she said.
Said Rizun, "We all try to do what we can to see them as comfortable as possible and it's just sad to see the conditions of their mouths in some instances."
Vanzella recently contacted the Squamish Hospital Foundation (SHF), which is offering to help with some funding and serve as a conduit through which citizens can make donations. He also has talked to the Squamish Rotary and has heard from at least one dentist who is retiring and may be willing to sell his used dental equipment or donate it for a tax receipt.
Levine said many in residential care either can't or don't brush their teeth regularly. One of the big benefits of having dental staff visit the facility is the education they can provide to residents, their families, and the Hilltop care nurses on proper dental care.
Said Vanzella, "I'd like to have a system set up up there where they're treated like normal patients, where in addition to providing proper care, you're talking about diet and about prevention."
George Mackenzie, SHF president, said the submission has been received and will be considered at the board's next meeting on June 26.
"I can't speak for the rest of the board but I can almost guarantee that we can step up and fund what we can, if not the full amount," he said.
