Double the impact of your donation to the Dental Tax Appeal
Aged Care Resident, Alan Berriman, receives a check-up in his wheelchair at his residential aged care home by dentist Dr Renuka Basavarajappa Maladihall.
Grampians Health Ballarat are doubling all online donations to their Dental Health Tax Appeal on the weekend of Friday 23 June – Sunday 25th June, thanks to the generosity of a group of anonymous donors. All online donations made over the Matched Giving Weekend will have double the impact.
Sarah Masters, Head of Fundraising & Engagement explains how a Matched Giving Weekend works.
“Matched Giving means that for every dollar you donate, our group of anonymous donors will donate a dollar. If you donate $50, our Dental Health Appeal will receive $100. Donating this weekend really does double the impact of every donation.”
“We would like to thank our matched giving donors who have generously agreed to match all online donations this weekend up to an incredible $5,000. We’d also like to thank everyone who has already donated to the appeal. During this cost of living crisis, we are humbled by the generosity of our community. The wonderful response we have already had to the appeal demonstrates how much people want to support others in our community.”
Jacqui Nolan, Grampians Health Dental Services Operations Director, explains how the Mobile Dental Clinics have made dental services more accessible to vulnerable people in our community.
“We have broadened our dental programs at Grampians Health in Ballarat though the use of our mobile dental clinics. These mobile clinics allow us to provide dentistry to those vulnerable patients who have difficulty in accessing dental care at our clinic. For example, we visit the residents of the ten Grampians Health Ballarat aged care homes. The residents now have easy access to oral hygiene plans, early treatment and maintenance. This helps ensure they can enjoy all aspects of their life and age positively.”
“A dental check-up in our aged care homes includes examination of functional teeth, ensuring the mouth is appropriately moist, and most importantly, not being in physical pain or discomfort from active oral disease or ill-fitting dentures. Residents commonly experience oral health diseases as they become less able to self-mange and communicate their concerns due to age-cognitive impairment, physical frailty, dependence on others and comorbidities.”
Ms Nolan describes the particular challenges in maintaining oral health for older people with dementia.
“Residents with dementia often struggle with someone helping brush their teeth or administering oral care. They may lose the ability to communicate what issues they are having, which makes it difficult to identify what is be causing them pain. If left untreated, this can result in worsening oral health and behaviour that can make oral health management more difficult. These behaviours include fear of being touched, not opening their mouth, not understanding or responding to directions, biting down on toothbrushes, or hitting out.”
“Our mobile dental visits to aged care homes ensures residents receive the oral health care they need, in a timely manner and without the additional challenges of leaving their familiar environment. All donations will help us update our aging equipment, which includes portable x-ray machines and suction machines, a dental trolley and specialist dental chairs.”
Online donations can be made at: https://ghb-tax-appeal-2023.raisely.com/
