"Water You Can Eat": Young Man Creates Life-Saving Invention For Dementia Patients Like His Grandma

Aug 22, 2018 by apost team

People with dementia and Alzheimer's disease and those who care for them face a number of challenges. One of those challenges is staying hydrated. A man whose grandmother suffers from dementia may have come up with a wonderful solution to the problem.

There are several problems that arise in keeping these patient hydrated. One is that they may not remember to drink water. Even if a cup of water is sitting beside them, they might forget where the water is. Some may grow to dislike the taste of water and might not drink it because they do not recognize that they are thirsty. Some forget how to swallow. Dysphagia is a swallowing problem dementia patients may develop, and they might struggle with thin liquids. These patients often need their liquids thickened before they are able to swallow them.

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There is no cure for dementia, but it is important that patients do not become dehydrated. Some dementia patients die of dehydration because its symptoms are often not recognized until it is too late. This was almost the case for the grandmother of a man named Lewis Hornby. She was rushed to the hospital where it was found that she was severely dehydrated. However, she recovered after 24 hours on IV fluids.

Hornby started thinking about how his grandmother and people like her could get the liquid they needed. He used a number of different approaches to help him better understand the issue including virtual reality and sensory deprivation tools, talking to a dementia psychologist, consulting with doctors and spending a week in a care home for people with dementia.

With all of this information, Hornby created something called Jelly Drops. These were small balls of liquid in bright colors that are easy to swallow. They include electrolytes and gelling agents to aid in hydration, but they are 90 percent water. Hornby returned to the dementia care home several times to test his prototype.

Dementia patients had a very positive reaction to the Jelly Drops. Even when they rejected other food and drink, they were eager to eat them. Patients don't need any utensils for them, and they don't leave any residue on their hands. Hornby said his grandmother ate seven in 10 minutes when he first offered them to her. This was the equivalent of a glass of water that it would have taken hours and a good deal of assistance for her to finish.

Hornby even thought through the packaging of the Jelly Drops. It looks like a box of candy and is made of clear plastic so patients can see what is inside. It is easy for them to open and keep open.

Jelly Drops have won a number of awards already, and several care homes in the United Kingdom are trying them out. Hornby plans to continue doing research and to start producing the drops on a larger scale.

Do you have a loved one with dementia? Would these Jelly Drops appeal to them? Comment and let us know.