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Older Persons

The Productivity Commission Inquiry into Caring for Older Australians (2011) projected an increase in those 85 years and older from 1.64% of the 2010 Australian population, to 5.06% in 2050. That is, an increase from around 365,000 individuals to 1,815,000 in 2050. In 2010 there were around 4,000 Australians 100 years or older; by 2050, it is estimated that there will be more than 50,000 Australians 100 years or older! It has also been estimated, that there will be more than a 170% increase in the retention of natural teeth; that is, in absolute numbers of teeth, an increase of around 38 million teeth in 2010 to around 65 million teeth in those aged 65 years and older by 2020.

Oral health and oral health services will need to adjust to changing patterns of life expectancy, medical technologies and therapies and regulatory changes in Australian society. These changes will require dental personnel to understand the impact of, and to work closely within an expanded team of allied health, community groups, regulatory authorities, family and residential care providers.

The increasing maintenance of natural teeth throughout life, combined with the growth of high technology dental procedures, places the frail aged older people at high risk and likelihood, in an increasingly dentate population, of rapid oral health deterioration when cognitive and physical disability impacts on their lives.

These resources have been developed to assist health workers and care givers in providing good oral health care to older Australians.

Oral Health Care for Older People in NSW: Carer Support Package​
Oral Health Care for Older People in NSW: a support package for family carers and support workers of older people with care or support needs contains oral health information that can be useful for family carers and support workers of older people with care or support needs. It is a guide on how to prevent and minimise health problems associated with older people.​

Oral Health Care for Older People in NSW: A toolkit for oral health and health service providers​​
This Toolkit contains oral health information that can be useful in encouraging a partnership approach to the oral and general health needs of olders people. It is a guide on how to prevent and minimise health problems associated with older people.

Caring for Dentures
Simple information in a two-page brochure that outlines the best way to look after and maintain clean dentures.

Oral Health Fee for Service Scheme
This brochure gives a basic outline of the NSW Oral Health Fee for Service Scheme. For more information on this Scheme see NSW Oral Health Fee for Service Scheme.

Public Dental Services
This brochure outlines the basic eligibility criteria to access public dental services. For more detailed information on Eligibility see Eligibility for Public Oral Health Services.