October - December 2019

It’s easy to take the ability to chew and smile for granted, until you are no long able to do so comfortably. Serving Our Seniors first began to address the need for denture treatment in 2014. Thanks in large part to the generosity of local foundations and individual donors, 96 Erie County older adults received dentures or partials. We brought some of the group together to ask how they felt about their new dentures. “I am so thankful. I didn’t have my bottom, front partial,” said Yvonne Mason. “You could see that I didn’t have any teeth. My daughter would try to make me feel better by saying, ‘Don’t let it bother you, Mom,’ but it really did.” Today, she enjoys being able to eat with no difficulty and feels much better about her smile. Wandalee Henderson said she had her dentures for a long, long time and they no longer fit correctly. “My teeth were no longer sharp and my gums were sore, because the denture would move around when I chewed.” When asked what can she eat now, that she couldn’t eat before? With a smile, she said, “I can eat meat, popcorn, corn on the cob and apples!” Paul Ertle had been wearing the same set of dentures since he was in his 30’s. “I’m 73, now, so what does that tell you?” He was another client who lived with sore gums and had difficulty eating, because his old dentures no longer fit. Queen Montgomery learned of the denture assistance in the Serving Our Seniors Magazine. She also had difficulty eating. “After I read about it, I called the Serving Our Seniors’ office. The Senior Advocate explained what I needed to do to apply. Now, I can smile again and I can eat again.” Joan Sartor remarked that she felt like she’d had her dentures forever. “My dentures were so thin that when I drank hot chocolate I could feel it on my gums. I’m so proud of my smile. I’m so happy I could cry.” Some of the Best Smiles We’ve Ever Seen Joan Sartor meets with Nancy Rodriguez, Senior Advocate to discuss the denture program. Check out those choppers! Back row: Johnnie Johson, Paul Ertle, Tom Knight. Middle row: Elaine Barclay, Donnie Ertle, Queen Montgomery, Charles Hush, Carrie King. Front row: Wandalee Henderson, Garland Fisher, Yvonne Mason, Reno Sullivan. 13 www.servingourseniors.org