Raeann Rideout
Raeann Rideout, MA
Sponsored by ODHA
Dental hygienists are well positioned to apply their clinical knowledge and skills in recognizing signs of suspected elder abuse. Their interactions with clients create a safe environment to approach and assist older adults when elder abuse is suspected. This session will provide dental hygienists with examples of core indicators of physical, emotional, neglect, and financial abuse that can be recognized while providing oral care treatment.
Supporting older adults who are vulnerable or at-risk of abuse can often be difficult, if you do not know how to approach the issue or start that critical conversation. This presentation will demonstrate how dental hygienists can use their connections with clients, employing strategic communication skills to ask key questions and begin the assessment/screening process. Participants will be given an overview of best practice guidelines to build their own confidence in providing intervention and support. Developing these core skills will not only benefit dental hygienists in their daily practice but will provide older adult clients with assistance, particularly in cases of increased vulnerabilities.
Learning objectives:
- Explore assessment questions when elder abuse is suspected.
- Review the guiding principles of when to intervene and support older adults living in abusive situations.
- Learn how to support and respond to older adults, using effective communication strategies.
- Build capacity by becoming familiar with community agencies that serve older adults, to enhance the supports and responses that can help vulnerable adults.
- Session handout will be provided.