Drink up – local care home helps Oprington community to stay hydrated

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Jun 20, 2021

An Oprington care home is serving up advice to support older people in the community this summer.

To celebrate Nutrition and Hydration Week, Care UK’s Foxbridge House, on Sevenoaks Road, is sharing its top tips from its free ‘Nutrition and Hydration’ booklet, packed with practical advice to stay hydrated and nutritious recipes.

Written by Care UK’s highly-qualified catering team, the booklet covers every aspect of hydration, from why older people are more likely to suffer from dehydration, to how to create drinks for people who may have lost the triggers that tell us we’re thirsty. It also includes special recipes that residents at Foxbridge House enjoy on a regular basis, from garnished flavoured waters and mocktails, to strawberry iced tea and fruit puree drinks – perfect for the summer season.

As well as drinks, the booklet also offers information about good food sources for hydration, such as watermelon, lettuce or tomato.  The booklet has been sent to all Care UK’s homes and a special version has been made available for local people to download free of charge.

Care UK’s Hotel Services Manager, James Clear, who helped design the booklet, said: “Every single person working in our homes has a role to play in ensuring that residents living there are properly hydrated. From a maintenance person sitting down with a resident for a mid-morning cuppa to a carer encouraging people to have a piece of fruit as a snack, every interaction helps. With this in mind, I wanted to make sure that our teams have accurate, easy to access information to brush up their knowledge and I think this booklet does just that.”

Stella Barnes, Home Manager at Foxbridge House, added: “Hydration is incredibly important for overall health and wellbeing, especially for older people, and with temperatures rising, we are pleased to share our tips and advice for staying hydrated throughout the summer months and beyond.

“It can be tricky for those caring for a loved to ensure they drink plenty when the weather warms up, but our guide is packed with recipes and practical tips to help, including focusing on the presentation of the drinks by using their favourite cup or adding a garnish.

“We’d like to encourage local people to download their own copy of the guide and to reach out to us if they need any further support.”

As well as the publication of the booklet, Care UK home teams and residents across the country are also being invited to enjoy the sunny weather and throw a garden party – accompanied by delicious food and drink lovingly prepared by their chefs.

To download your free copy of the guide, click the link at the bottom of this page.

Foxbridge House has been designed to deliver the very best standards of care and to enable residents to live active and fulfilled lives. The home provides full-time residential, nursing and dementia care, as well as short-term respite care.  

For more information about Foxbridge House, please call Customer Relations Manager, Dorothy Ayonmike, on 01689 769 229, or email dorothy.ayonmike@careuk.com

For more general information on Foxbridge House, please visit careuk.com/foxbridge-house