The mission of Nutrition & Hydration week is to create a global movement that will reinforce and focus activity and engagement on nutrition and hydration as an important part of quality care.

Good nutrition and hydration are essential to health and well-being and can help people recover more quickly from illness. Inadequate nutrition and hydration can have serious effects on people’s health.

Absolute Healthcare always take the nutritional needs of their clients very seriously, with good nutrition and hydration care being taught to our carers and being included in our care plans.

But just in case you wondered – here are the official 10 key things the people at N&H Week think care providers should be doing to provide good care to their patients:

1. Screen all patients to identify malnourishment or risk of malnourishment. This is something quick and easy to do when you first meet a patient. Malnutrition is common but is not easily identified, and patients who are malnourished can often spend unnecessary additional time in hospital.
2. Create a personal care plan with each patient allowing them to have control and choices over their nutritional care and fluid needs. Encourage them to talk about their own needs and include the recommendations of family, friends and carers.
3. Care providers should include specific guidance on food and beverage services and other nutrition and hydration care. Care providers should also encourage people to become involved in services such as menu planning.
4. People using care services should be involved in the planning and monitoring arrangements for food and drinks service provision. For example, surveys about service quality, menu planning workshops, comments boards.
5. Food and drink should be provided alone or with assistance, in an environment conducive to patients being able to consume their food. Make sure people are ready to eat (washed hands, cutlery), make sure the environment encourages eating (clean, inviting), help people if needed (open packaging, help them reach their meal), observe people (check for obstructions or swallowing problems), monitor and assess (record food and fluid intake).
6. All healthcare professionals or volunteers should have the necessary training in nutrition and hydration to meet the requirements of people using their services.
7. Facilities and services providing nutrition and hydration should be flexible, and centred on the needs of the people using them. Choosing the right equipment is just as important as the design of the service.
8. All car providers should have a nutrition and hydration policy centred on the needs of their users.
9. Food, drinks and other nutritional care should be delivered safely. There are many safety aspects to consider such as; choking, dehydration and an inappropriate diet.
10. Care providers should take a multidisciplinary approach to nutrition and hydration care, valuing the contribution of all staff, users, carers, volunteers and relatives in a joined up approach.

In addition to all the sensible advice and information sharing – the team at Nutrition & Hydration week are raising awareness through a ‘world record attempt’ of coordinating the largest afternoon tea in Britain on 16^th March! Of course, the scones and cream may not actually be that nutritional unless loaded with fruit, but as an awareness raising measure, we’re happy they are overlooking this!

Take a look at their website for more information and why not join in!

http://nutritionandhydrationweek.co.uk/worldwide-afternoon-tea/