A short story of advocacy by a Social Work Gerontologist - particularly recounting the development and expansion of dental care services for the elderly in Louisiana.
The Right to Bite!
My first professional social work job was in New Orleans working at Catholic Charities as a Community Organizer (maybe I should have run for President then!) working with the Senior Citizens Organizations affiliated with that Diocese. As the Louisiana Legislature Process has already begun for us this year, I’m reminded of a Dental and Medical Program for elders that I was asked to administer also per my work. Also, since May is designated as “Older Americans Month,” and I’m 50+ (Yes, I attended the recent “Life After 50 Expo” Program!), these are some “Grey Matters” (the name of a senior column that I wrote in the late 1980’s for The Times-Picayune!) for us to ponder.
With advocacy being a central component to my work with the elderly, we would get folks aged 60 + to participate at important local City Council, Senior Voters’ Caucus or the State Legislative Hearings for their input about health and other matters that impacted their lives. As political pollsters have long known, the elderly get out and vote. At a subsequent job per the New Orleans Council On Aging, I can recall the development of the “Silver Haired Legislature,” which had mock senior aged representatives from all 64 parishes in the State who organized getting the senior vote out for relevant matters!
Back in the early 1980s, James W. Briggs, DDS, a dentist in New Orleans, became keenly aware of the lack of dental services for the elderly per some unfortunate encounters his grandmother had. Unfortunately, she had a health episode that disabled her and made it very difficult to get out for routine health maintenance things like dental care.
Getting to a dentist for common cleanings and other possible oral care became a monumental task for Dr. Briggs’ grandmother. When he became aware of this, he started to look into what the State provided for seniors and, especially, for those who may have low incomes and possibly MediCAID coverage. While not mandated, the optional Adult Denture Program and other dental services were things that Dr. Briggs decided to “take a bite into” per contacting the State agencies involved with such care.
Dr. Briggs recognized the need to join forces with other advocates for the elderly, so he coordinated with the late Constance W. Clark, a pioneering gerontologist who was then the Elderly Services Division Director, in setting up a Home Dental Care program that would make house calls and eventually assist residents of nursing homes. Subsequently, I became involved with administering the program, and we expanded it to include screenings and treatments for some Eye Care and General Medicine needs, as an Optometrist and Physician also provided mobile services.
Having worked extensively in many areas of long-term care, including home health, adult day health care and nursing homes, for some frail elders, being able to chew food and enjoy a good meal may be one of the few pleasures capable for seniors and anyone living in restrictive or institutional care.
I can recall going with Dr. Briggs, other health care professionals and elders to the State DHH Office and/or to State Legislative Hearings during the Legislative Session to promote the continuation and expansion of dental services for the needy – especially those who are poor, on MediCAID or with minimal or no insurance coverage.
When it came to signage or props, it was hard to top what some of our seniors came up with. Besides displaying a wide array of dentures, partials and the like for the legislators to see, their signs were hard to go unnoticed: “We Have The Right to Bite!” We also had some testimonies by nursing home residents who conveyed their gratefulness to being able to finally have dentures so they wouldn’t have to be reliant on only pureed or liquid diets.
Eventually, through the great efforts of other dentists, health providers and social service agencies, we were able set up the home-bound and nursing home bound program in Baton Rouge, Lafayette and other localities.
Considered to be “the father of nursing home dentistry and dental house calls,” Dr. Briggs noted, “I believe with all my heart that dentistry for the aged was the one thing that God created me to do.”
As Dr. Briggs continues to serve the elderly primarily in the recovering New Orleans area, he also has noted some of the realities of the worthwhile practice. “Dentistry for the aged doesn’t always look good or smell good. It always takes patience. However, it always feels good for your patients and for us when we are able to help them with their dental needs. We all truly have the Right to Bite!"
Once, at a Catholic Charities national conference, we were all asked to share a quick song as an intro to one another and as an ice breaker. This was mine in a rap format: “My name is Keith, I work with all older folks, From those who need dentures, To those who have strokes. They’re all really people, Just like you and me,I strive to work always, For their Dignity!”
Keith John Paul Horcasitas, 1133 Knollhaven Drive, BRLA 70810, khorcasitas.yahoo.com.
The Right to Bite!
