George Gray Centre Inc.

Oral Health ProjectPresenter Kerrie-Anne Miller

Wise Choices are for Everyone

George Gray Centre Incorporated has a Day Service for adults with intellectual and/or physical disabilities,mental health issues, acquired brain injury or any combination of these disabilities currently servicing 112adults from the Wellington Shire providing living and life skills, further education and leisure activities.The organisation also has a supported employment business enterprise which includes a café, Foster Place, acatering service, SEED and a garden and lawn service, Foster Place Garden Service. These businessesprovide employment for 24 supported employees.George Gray Centre Incorporated is committed to the provision of services, which will embrace access andinclusion, personal development, and independence of adults with a disability. Health and fitness is a highpriority of our organisation and we are focussing on empowering the people we support to take control of theirown health including oral health through education and the opportunity to practice healthy lifestyles.

George Gray Centre Inc.

Why apply for the grant?People with intellectual disabilities have more gingivitis and periodontitis and more untreated tooth decay than the general population¹. Oral conditions are amenable to prevention and certain settings can be useful for oral health promotion to reach groups more at risk of oral disease². ¹Anders PL and Davis EL. 2010, Oral health of patients with intellectual disabilities: a systematic review, Special Care Dentistry, vol. 30, pp.110-117.

²Rogers JG. 2011, Evidence based oral health promotion resource. Prevention and Population Health, Government of Victoria, Department of Health, Melbourne.

The grant gave us the opportunity to try to redress these facts by educating and assisting people with disabilities to take control of their own oral health and to recognise themselves in the promotion of good oral health.

We wanted our clients to be supported to learn about oral health andhygiene through research and guest speakers. From their learningdevelop posters depicting people with disabilities taking responsibilityfor their own oral health. Eg. Visiting the dentist, drinking water etc.The poster could then be distributed through networks with the optionof offering the poster for display in health provider’s offices.

The ProjectWise Choices are for Everyone

Why Posters?We wanted the education part of this project to be purposeful and to have a concrete conclusion, something of which the clients could be proud to share with others. The making of the posters became the focus of the project.People with a disability are underrepresented in generic posters in the health community. Most showcasing the traditionally good looking models with flawless skin and smile. This was a wonderful opportunity to rectify this disparity by showcasing people with a disability taking control of their own health. At same time, demonstrating to the wider community that people with disabilities are able to manage health issues such as Oral Health in same manner as anyone else. It is an opportunity to be inclusive in an area that for the most part is seen to be exclusive.

What we did.

Dental Health Services Victoria provided us with a multitude of resources to use in the educational section of our project. We charted the vegetable and fruit content of lunches We looked at hidden sugars in foods. Staff had oral hygiene instruction and were able to pass on information to a

wider client group. Central Gippsland Health provided oral health instruction to one of our groups Healthy eating and drinking water as the preferred drink was a focus across

our centre.

Our original project idea was to produce and design the posters ourselves usingphotographs from our own cameras and printing them in house. We were hoping todistribute locally to interested health providers. However, after discussions with DHSVwe were invited to expand our project to professionally designed and photographedposters and to distribute to disability providers across Victoria.We, of course were delighted to expand the project!

Ideas can grow and grow

From our learning we developed four keymessages that we wanted our posters to present.

The Messages

Reduce the chance of decay

LET’S HAVE VEGETABLES

For healthy teeth and gums

CHECK IN FOR A CHECK UP

For healthy teeth

JUST WATER THANKS

To help prevent tooth decay

and

keep breath fresh

BRUSH MORNING AND NIGHT

We interviewed photographers and we loved the candid naturalphotographs in Lisa Baker’s portfolio and decided to go with her.Salesigntorque had recently worked with our organisation and were familiarwith our mission and ethos, so they were a logical choice for designer andprinter.

Photography and Design

Photography

Spoiled for Choice

It was when we viewed the proofs that we decided to expand theproject further by including dental health providers with disabilityorganisations in the mail out. The mail out was performed by GGCclients as a contract.

Choice Made - Time to Go to Print

Survey Results

Results from charting and records

People impacted by this project.

EVALUATION

Survey EvaluationNumber responses received to the surveys from staff and parents was disappointing. Overall, participantknowledge of the project and their learnings from the project was good but communication could have beenimproved with getting the messages home. As the majority of our participants have some degree ofcommunication difficulties, messages home should have been more frequent and clearer. As reported thatmany parents did not receive the information notes that were to be sent home in chat books. This is an areathat needs revisiting as the chat books are an important communication device.

The project impacted on all who attend the service to varying degrees. Some groups had great knowledgeand improved their skills considerably whilst others had only a scant knowledge of the project. It wasgratifying that so many participants had received oral hygiene instruction and that staff had used theresource list from DHSV (sugar video) to good effect.

A parent commented that she had received a link to the project on the DHSV website form a carers group inMelbourne.

Results Approximately 120 GGC staff, clients and their families were involved.

Posters were sent to Victorian Day Services (93) and community dental sites (61) to raise awareness about preventing dental disease and promoting the inclusion of all people in the community.

There was a sense of satisfaction and achievement among participants. Positive changes were observed in staff and client attitudes, behaviours and knowledge about oral health.

Some challenges included the majority of clients not planning, selecting or preparing their own meals and frequent staff changeover.

ConclusionThis project has been very worthwhile. There have been so many positives gained from being involved.• Increased knowledge of hidden sugars• Drinking water as the preferred drink of choice• Healthy eating • Pride in the posters• Great feedback from other organisations• Fantastic support from DHSV and Bonnie Morrison• To see people with disabilities in posters promoting good oral health is a major step for

inclusion.