From the #deltadentalARFoundation: For many Arkansas senior citizens, the Golden Years don’t always dazzle. 

Poor health, fixed income, isolation and loneliness can dim their quality of life and independence.

To improve and enhance their well-being, the White River Area Agency on Aging, Inc. offers ongoing support, resources and encouragement to thousands of residents in 10 counties in the state’s northeast central corner. Headquartered in Batesville, it provides services ranging from in-home care to case/care management to low-income senior housing.

WRAAA also operates 18 senior centers that offer social and recreational activities, transportation, congregate and home-delivered meals, as well as an assisted living facility.

This summer, the home care attendants delivered something extra, something intended to bring healthy smiles to the recipients: dental hygiene kits and oral health education pamphlets. The items were funded by a #communitygrant from the Delta Dental of Arkansas Foundation.

“The majority of our clients are low-income and on Medicaid with fixed incomes that do not allow for many things outside of utilities and food,” explained Roslyn Beall, the agency’s grant development coordinator.

“We believe providing those seniors in need with dental hygiene kits and dental care materials [will] impact their lives in a positive way by reminding them of the importance of dental care and how it relates to their health,” she said.

Almost 770 dental hygiene kits and oral health pamphlets were delivered in June and July. The recipients appreciated the in-home caregivers’ delivery of the dental hygiene kits and their explanation of how oral health, including that of denture wearers, affects overall health.

Roslyn hopes to expand the oral health initiative to the agency’s senior centers this fall.

We love to see pilot programs grow!

How is your organization bringing healthy smiles to Arkansans—the young and the not-so-young? Check out our funding opportunities. 

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