Who Are We

1

• Who Are We?
• The UK's largest and longest-established public
  health organisation
• Completely independent of government and of any
  special interest
• Our Members are academics, health professionals
  and practitioners
• who share an interest in promoting health
  through their daily work,
• and come together to provide multidisciplinary
  perspectives
• on current health questions.
• Activities
• Bimonthly Journal
• Monthly electronic newsbrief
• Conferences and seminars
• Qualifications
• Awards
• Health Policy

2

• 2001 New workstream on nutrition and welfare
  of older people in care
• 2002 Commissioned literature review from
  Bournemouth University
• Feeding Older People in the Community
• 2002 - National Conference Wholesome,
  Appealing, Balanced

3
2003 entered into an agreement with the Water
for Health Alliance to conduct a survey of water
consumption and water policies in care homes in
the south of England.

• Key Questions
• Do Care Homes know how much water their clients
  are consuming?
• Do they have any policies and systems in place
  for monitoring this?
• Are they aware of the health problems which can
  arise
• with insufficient water consumption?

4

• The Survey
• In the summer of 2003 we invited care homes for
  older people across
• the south of England to complete a survey of
  their residents' water consumption.
• 4500 homes contacted - over 800 homes responded.
  (over 15)
• Report published in October 2003

5

• Findings - Consumption
• Over 90 of care providers actively encourage
  drinking
• The FSA recommends 56-8 glasses of water/fluids
  per day.
• Most care home resident consume only 2-4.
• Respondents describe it as an uphill struggle
  to persuade clients to drink more
• Some concerns about the safety of tap water.
  (Over 600 provide filtered tap water.)
• Findings Policy, Guidance and Awareness
• Most homes have no policy on water consumption
  and do not include it in care plans.
• Only half of care providers have received
  guidance on managing hydration.
• Good understanding of health problems from poor
  hydration Urinary tract infection,
• dehydration, constipation, confusion, possible
  poor absorption of medications

6

• Next Steps
• Circulate survey as widely as possible
• Identify stakeholders who can make use of it
• Work with partners to produce and distribute
  guidelines
• Most homes have no policy on water consumption.
• Objectives
• Move from general awareness of water and health
  to sound
• understanding of the issues among care
  providers
• Move from informal monitoring to explicit
  policies on consumption

7

• Water Resources
• Report on Water Consumption in Homes for Older
  People
• www.rsph.org/water/survey.asp
• This page also has links to
• Literature Review on Fluid Intakes (Feeding
  Older People in the Community)
• Draft Report on the scientific literature on the
  impacts of water on health
• Additional Resources
• Loyd Grossmans Recipes for Older People
• www.rsph.org/events/WAB/main.aspgrossman
• Conference Proceedings from Wholesome, Appealing
  Balanced