IT IS a sad fact of life that our bodies tend to deteriorate with age.

But, while there is nothing anyone can do about the onset of old age – not until the invention of the time machine, that is – there is a lot that can be done to make sure our later years are as enjoyable as our youths.

One of these is to maintain a healthy diet and take on plenty of fluids. And that’s just what Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust is asking older people to do.

As part of this week’s national Nutrition and Hydration Week the trust – which runs the majority of community and mental health services in the county – is calling on staff and carers to make sure older patients and service users are well nourished and taking on enough fluids.

The trust’s campaign is being lead by Fiona McKeller who said older people recovering from illness or an operation often found it hard to maintain a healthy diet due to a loss in appetite or general ill health.

“The aim of the week is to raise awareness of the risks and promote the good practices that can help prevent malnutrition and dehydration,” she said.

“Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust will be supporting the week and will be using it as an opportunity to highlight the significant benefits to the health and wellbeing of the people we care for and look after, including our staff.

“Research shows that people who are eating well recover from illnesses quicker, will have a better quality of life, and will be more alert and active. Improved health and well-being and less complex care needs will also benefit carers.”

About 60 per cent of the body is made up of water and it is generally advised to drink at least two litres of water every day.

About 80 per cent of water the average person consumes comes from drinks with the remaining 20 per cent is contained in food. Reduced appetite or poor nutrition can mean older people may not take on enough fluids.

Although the kidneys regulate the amount of fluid in the body, their function often deteriorates with age.

Good hydration can prevent or treat problems such as diabetes, heart disease kidney stones, bed sores, low blood pressure, urinary infections, constipation, and incontinence.

But dehydration can occur as a result of cognitive impairment, exposure to heat or exercise, medicines such as laxatives or diuretics or illnesses such as diarrhoea, vomiting and other infections.

As part of the campaign the trust has released a series of tips for staff and carers, including offering small amounts of water on an hourly basis and with water. Many patients like to drink and entire glass of water while swallowing tablets, so staff should offer larger amounts of fluid at these times.

Care home staff are also advised to encourage more water consumption earlier in the day as many residents worry about having to get up to go to the toilet during the night.

Older people and those who are unwell can also often lose their appetite and sense of thirst, so healthcare workers should never take it for granted that patients will know when they need to drink.

One of the trust’s patients, 82-year-old John, said keeping well nourished and hydrated was key to his recovery following a two-month hospital stay as a result of a heart operation.

“I knew I had lost weight whilst I was in hospital because when I got dressed to come home my trousers were all bunched up around my waist,” he said.

“I still had a wound on my chest and the district nurses were coming in to dress it regularly after I got home.

“During their first visit we were chatting about how I was feeling and if I was eating ok, I mentioned I thought I had lost weight– and that was it.

“They had me on the scales straight away, and gave me loads of advice, with leaflets on how to eat the right foods to put on weight.

“Apparently this would help me heal quicker as well as gain weight, so me and my wife were keen to do the right thing.

“Once a week I was weighed, and it took a while to gain any weight, but just to know I wasn’t loosing anymore helped.

“I didn’t know the best foods, and where I could get healthy calories, so the nurses’ advice and support was great.”

Patients like John are encouraged to eat little and often – three small meals with snacks in between is an ideal approach. Drinking six to eight glasses or mugs of fluid can also prevent tiredness, confusion and dizziness, but drinking just before meals is not advisable as that can result in feeling too full to eat. Nourishing drinks such as hot chocolate with full fat milk are ideal as a snack but low fat or ‘diet’ food and drink should be avoided as fat and sugar can help improve energy levels.

Creating a pleasant eating environment – such as having meals with others – can also make the process of keeping nourished more enjoyable.

The trust is also calling on staff to take an online quiz on their own nutrition and hydration while also sharing tips on keeping themselves and patients nourished and hydrated. Tea parties will also be held at all the trust’s in-patient units on Wednesday, March 18.

There are a range of resources on keeping hydrated and nourished available at www. nutritionandhydrationweek.co.uk.