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Stay hydrated, stay healthy

A new campaign launched across Worcestershire to inform people of the importance of staying hydrated and consuming the right amount of fluids to stay healthy.

Medical evidence shows that staying hydrated can assist in preventing conditions such as: pressure ulcers, heart disease, diabetes, and low blood pressure. It is also recognised that staying hydrated helps to keep you alert and feel generally healthier.

NHS South Worcestershire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is working in partnership with NHS Redditch and Bromsgrove and NHS Wyre Forest CCGs, Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust and Worcestershire County Council to help ensure people are aware of the importance of staying hydrated, improve quality of care or self-care and help to prevent hospital admissions. 

The Stay hydrated, stay healthy campaign aims to help people:

  • Know importance of staying hydrated
  • Know how much to drink
  • Know what to drink

Hydration

The campaign launched in July, with a number of information stands being held in hospital receptions across the county. The information stands were held at Worcestershire Royal Hospital and at Evesham Community Hospital on Thursday 17 July, offering information about the campaign and health staff were on-hand to offer hints and tips to help people stay hydrated.

Then in October the second part of the campaign was launched to educate health and care home staff about keeping residents and patients hydrated. This included a number of education events at care homes across the county and the creation of a toolkit, which included hydration charts, a urine colour chart, information booklet and posters to help promote the importance of hydration.

Josie Mchale-Owen, Infection Prevention Nurse for the three Worcestershire CCGs said: “Staying hydrated is very important and brings with it a lot of health benefits. It also cuts back on unnecessary hospital admissions. 

“When people, especially older people are admitted to hospital, they can experience complications in their care if they’re dehydrated.

“There are plenty of things people can do to stay hydrated, for example, drinking water regularly throughout the day, eating more fresh fruit and vegetables and remembering to drink more when they exercise or if the weather is hot.”

Information stands were held in hospital receptions across the county, including at the Worcestershire Royal Hospital and Evesham Community Hospital, find out more about how they went.



How to tell if you’re dehydrated

  • Thirst
  • Dry mouth
  • Headache
  • Constipation
  • Dizziness
  • Muscle cramps
  • Impaired vision and concentration
  • Fatigue

 

Hints and tips to stay hydrated

  • Fruits and vegetables are great sources of water. Eat these daily to stay hydrated and maintain your health and wellbeing

  • Keep a water bottle handy to encourage you to drink water wherever and whenever
  • Remember to drink more when you exercise or spend time in hot environments
  • Set reminders on your phone, watch or email to drink a glass or water regularly
  • Add a slice of lemon, lime and/or basil to your water to give it some extra flavour

 

Useful links and resources 



Hydration video

The below video highlights the work that is currently taking place in Worcestershire aimed at improving hydration levels of the public and educating health and care home staff about the importance of keeping their residents/patients hydrated.
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