In the summer, and on those really hot days in particular, the last thing you want to do is get up from your cool armchair to make yourself a drink, especially if it’s just a glass of water. While having those 8 glasses of water is a great start, in warm or hot weather, we all need to drink more.  Don’t fancy water, there are other appealing and creative ways to stay hydrated too.

Sometimes a bit of added flavour is the order of the day and a squash, fruit juice or fruit infused water can be much more appealing and refreshing.

For those who are reluctant to drink conventionally, appealing to a sweet tooth is an alternative. Ice pops, ice cream, milkshakes or smoothies are all hydrating without feeling like you’re drinking for the sake of it. Don’t forget, as well, that fruits and vegetables often have high water content. Things like melon, grapes, cucumber, tomato and jelly are great options to help with this and why not try some fruit soups or a panzanella? Even foods like apples and blueberries are roughly 85% water too!

If it’s not so warm outside, but you’re worried about keeping yourself or a loved one suitably hydrated, making some different choices at mealtime can make a huge difference. Swapping out sandwiches for a soup at lunchtime, or cooking up a lovely rich broth or stew of an evening provides fantastic hydration. The same goes for hot drinks like coffee, hot chocolate and tea. You can make a bit of a spectacle of bringing out these hot drinks too; serving them on an old-fashioned tea trolley or as part of a nice afternoon tea.

Using each day’s activities to work in opportunities for hydration is the perfect scenario, but we know this can be challenging if you work in tandem with caring for a loved one. If you pop round for dinner though, there’s the chance to offer a coffee after the meal and you can always offer an ice cream or jelly for a light dessert.

One thing we find particularly useful is leaving a lightweight jug of water or fruit squash easily accessible for your loved one. They don’t need to worry about popping out to the kitchen to refill their cup. You can even buy water bottles now which are marked with times to drink and a line which coincides with how much you need to have consumed. Depending on how competitive your loved one is setting challenges like this could be a fun way to engage them with their hydration.

While maintaining hydration can sometimes seem like a little bit of a chore, there are a huge range of benefits to increasing fluid intake including:
– Decreasing falls by 50%
– Increasing energy levels
– Less visits to the toilet at night
– Reduced dizziness
– Less requirement for medicinal laxatives
– Easing of bladder problems

In our homes, our chefs are always coming up with creative ways to keep our residents hydrated. At Aria Court in Cambridgeshire, our very own Heston Blumenthal, head chef Tyler, has concocted these hydrating gummies. He makes these throughout the year in a huge variety of flavours and our residents love them!

If you’d like more information on what additional support your local Athena Care Home can offer, don’t hesitate to reach out to our friendly team here.