Dementia Jelly Drops are a solution to help people living with dementia stay hydrated.
Keeping well hydrated is essential to help the body and the mind function.
But when people live with dementia, they often forget to drink regularly, and that can cause problems.
In this blog, we’ll look at the importance of hydration, the innovation of the jelly drops, and how they work.
Here’s a summary of what we’ll cover in this article:
- People living with dementia will often find it hard to keep hydrated.
- Being dehydrated takes a toll on the body and the mind.
- Dementia Jelly Drops have been designed to tackle this problem.
- Why the design helps people living with dementia to eat them.
- How to buy them, where to store the product and how long they last.
Why do people living with dementia get dehydrated?
Hydration often becomes a problem for people living with dementia because of the way the condition impacts the brain.
The brain sends signals to the body when someone becomes thirsty so that they are prompted to act on them.
However, dementia can disrupt the communication of those signals, so people living with it don’t realise they are thirsty.
As dementia affects memory too, it’s often hard for people to remember to drink regularly.
For other people, problems with communication and mobility can mean they can’t express their need for a drink.
There’s more detailed information here on what is dementia and what are the early signs of dementia.
What happens when the body is dehydrated?
Without the right amount of fluid consumption, the body can react badly.
Common problems associated with dehydration for people with dementia include:
- Headaches
- Urinary tract infections
- Increased confusion
- Constipation
Of course, those complaints are unpleasant for anybody.
But when you are living with a condition like dementia, it can exacerbate other dementia care symptoms and make life very unpleasant.
If you want more information check out these books on dementia.
What are Dementia Jelly Drops?
If you look at a box of Dementia Jelly Drops, you’ll see a brightly coloured array of sweet treats.
However, each one is made of 90% water and is sugar-free.
Added electrolytes help boost the hydration quality of the sweets too.
A whole tray contains 300ml of water, which is a great source of hydration.
The texture is solid and reminiscent of traditional jelly, making the drops easy to chew and swallow.
Chewing can be challenging for people living with dementia, so the product development team made sure to address that issue.
Are you worried about a loved one?
Who invented Dementia Jelly Drops?
The innovator behind Dementia Jelly Drops is Lewis Hornby, whose grandmother was living with dementia.
He first hit upon the idea when his grandma was hospitalised for dehydration.
Lewis wanted to create a product that offered excellent hydration and looked like a tasty treat.
As his grandmother loved sweets, he decided to design them to catch her eye.
How will people living with dementia remember to eat them?
Dementia Jelly Drops are designed to be appealing due to their sweet shape and bright colours.
They are designed to be easy to pick up, so many people living with dementia can help themselves from the box.
When Lewis and his team designed the sweets, they developed the product with the input of people living with dementia, expert doctors and dementia psychologists.
The look, texture and taste of the product are the results of that vital work.
The Alzheimer’s Society has been a partner in getting the product to market, working with Lewis on their accelerator platform.
Find out more about their partnership for tackling dehydration here.
Where can I buy them?
The good news is that you can buy Dementia Jelly Drops in the UK and the USA online.
You have the option of making a one-off purchase at their online store here.
Alternatively, you can order a subscription to arrive regularly.
The product line has evolved to include snack pots as well as the traditional Dementia Jelly Drops box.
You can also choose from a range of different flavours.
How do I store them?
You can choose to keep Dementia Jelly Drops in a cool, dark place or in the fridge.
It’s recommended that opened boxes are consumed within seven days.
Boxes have a two-week shelf life, but tray value packs can last six weeks, and snack pots clock in at eight weeks.
It’s great to see companies addressing the issues faced by people living with dementia.
Products like the jelly drops meet their needs in an innovative way.
If you’d like more advice about how to support your loved one living with dementia, please take a look at our range of articles.
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