Hydration promotion during hot weather
- Bright Copper Kettles CIC
- Jun 27, 2022
- 3 min read
Residents and staff at Summerdyne Nursing home in Bewdley have been enjoying the sunshine lately with many outdoor activities and social events.
Last week Morrisons Community Champion, Diane Rudd from Kidderminster Superstore visited the Worcestershire care home to promote Hydration Awareness throughout the current Heatwave.
Michael Butler, Lifestyle and Wellbeing Lead at Summerdyne said "Hydration for both staff and residents is always important and Diane's visit this week was much appreciated during the increased temperatures."
Diane arrived at the care home, owned by Heritage Manor, with bottles of cold water and soft drinks for staff and residents, encouraging everyone to keep hydrated by increasing their intake of fluids.
Paula Lees, General Manager at Summerdyne said "that whilst sun screen and sun hats were a way of protecting our residents and staff against the sun, Diane's generous gift of cold drinks also ensured that both staff and residents could maintain increased levels of fluid intake too and for this we were thankful."
Irene Wilkes, Resident Ambassador at Summerdyne Nursing Home greeted Diane as she arrived at the home and said "Having bottles of Water and soft drinks visible to us reminds us to keep on top of fluids and to keep hydrated, it also helps the staff to easily access drinks during the warmer weather."
A great job and kind gesture as part of Morrisons 'Making good Things Happen' in their community.
Understanding dehydration
Many older people are at increased risk of dehydration. Some may not feel thirsty as often as they once did, while others may avoid drinking because they worry about needing the toilet more frequently.
Memory difficulties, illness, medication and reduced mobility can all contribute to someone drinking less than they need.
Dehydration can affect mood, concentration, energy levels and overall wellbeing. It may also increase the risk of confusion, urinary tract infections and falls.
The good news is that hydration support does not always need to be complicated. Often, the most effective approaches are the simple things that fit naturally into daily life.
By making drinks part of enjoyable experiences rather than simply offering reminders, we can encourage residents to drink more often and create positive social opportunities at the same time.
Practical action against hydration
Make drinks part of activities
Consider how refreshments can become a feature rather than an afterthought.
Ideas might include:
Afternoon tea gatherings
Coffee mornings with family members
Fruit tasting sessions
Mocktail afternoons
Smoothie making activities
Reminiscence sessions centred around favourite drinks from the past
Garden parties with summer refreshments
Residents are often more likely to enjoy a drink when it is linked to an activity they already find engaging.
Explore preferences
The HELPS™ framework reminds us to look beyond hydration as a task and instead understand the individual.
Their histories, experiences, lifestyles, preferences and strengths can all influence what, when and how they like to drink.
The 'P' in the HELPS™ framework reminds us to consider preferences.
Not everyone enjoys plain water. Some residents may prefer:
Tea or coffee
Fruit squash
Milkshakes
Smoothies
Fruit-infused water
Hot chocolate
Sparkling drinks
Water-rich fruits such as melon, oranges or strawberries
Understanding individual preferences can make a significant difference to hydration levels.
Use social opportunities
Many people naturally drink more when they are spending time with others.
Creating opportunities for conversation over a cuppa can support both hydration and emotional wellbeing. A simple tea trolley visit can become an opportunity to chat, reminisce and connect.
Involve the wider community
The Summerdyne hydration initiative demonstrated how local organisations can support care homes.
You might consider approaching:
Supermarkets
Garden centres
Cafés
Community groups
Schools
Many organisations are keen to support local care homes through donations, visits or collaborative events.
These partnerships can bring fresh ideas while helping residents maintain valuable community connections.
Take a look at your activity programme for the coming week.
Choose one existing activity and consider how hydration could be woven into the experience. It might be as simple as introducing a themed drink, creating a social tea break or offering residents a choice of refreshments linked to the activity.
Small changes often have the greatest impact.
By making hydration enjoyable, personal and social, we can help support residents' wellbeing one drink at a time.
Have a think about what might work best for the people you support and choose just one idea to try this week.
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