Hydration and Nutrition Resources

Dehydration and malnutrition are two common issues that can affect people in later life, and as organisations working with over 50’s in our communities, we have a vital role in spotting the signs and supporting people to stay well. Age UK Norwich and Age UK Salford are pleased to announce a collaborative effort to share valuable hydration and nutrition resources with the aim to equip staff, volunteers, and healthcare professionals with the necessary knowledge and tools to ensure the well-being of those they serve.

Age UK Norwich, in collaboration with the University of East Anglia (as part of their “Drinking Well at Our Age’ project) and over 50s, has developed a range of hydration resources specifically designed to help health professionals assess whether their clients are drinking enough to stay healthy and ways to support clients increase fluid intake if required.

These downloadable resources include:

• Training materials to help healthcare professionals assess hydration levels
• A short video outlining key messages about hydration for people over 50.
• A leaflet on hydration.
• Standalone information on drinking and toilet visits.

All the resources, including the video, can be found on the Age UK Norwich website's hydration section.

Age UK Salford has created a series of five bite-sized training sessions on nutrition designed to equip you with the knowledge to:

• Recognise risk factors, signs, and symptoms of malnutrition and dehydration in people in later life.
• Identify methods to prevent these conditions.
• Provide guidance to those at risk.

These sessions are available in PowerPoint format and each session takes less than 10 minutes to complete and includes 2-3 reflection questions to solidify your learning. All the bitesize sessions can be found on the Age UK Salford website's Improving Nutrition and Hydration section.

Dan Skipper, CEO of Age UK Norwich said “Too many people end up unwell or even hospitalised due to diet and drinking issues. Both can be a factor in falls, a common cause of hospitalisation in later life. Any professional who supports older people, carers and family members can really benefit from knowing the basics, to help them look out for the risks. We need to prevent the preventable, which is why we’re trying to share this far-and-wide”

Age UK Norwich offers nationwide training on hydration to health coaches, healthcare professionals and other organisations or individuals who may find it useful. To find out more, please contact Michael Barber, Health and Community Support Manager email: Michael.Barber@ageuknorwich.org.uk or call 07443 265 124.

If you are interested in longer, more extensive training about nutrition, please contact Carmel Berke, Programme Director, GM Nutrition and Hydration at Age UK Salford: CarmelBerke@ageuksalford.org.uk