Ingenious Way to Keep Dementia Patients Hydrated (#WATWB)

By Lizbeth Hartz | August 25, 2018 |

What with Hurricane Lane wreaking havoc on Hawai’i’s weather, I forgot today was the day to post good news for We Are the World Blogfest. So I was scanning good news and came across this one that’s near and dear to my heart, because I help look after a hundred something lady with dementia. It’s nigh impossible getting her to drink enough water–she doesn’t like it much–so this young man’s story of how he figured out a way to help elderly folks like his grandma warmed the cockles of my heart. The solution? Delicious jelly drops elderly folks love to eat, that are chock full of – you guessed it – H2O.

A special thanks to our fabulous cohosts for this month, who keep this blogfest going: Simon Falk, Andrea Michaels, Shilpa Garg, Sylvia Stein, Belinda Witzenhausen.

You can read the whole story here at: https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/man-comes-up-with-ingenious-way-to-keep-dementia-patients-hydrated-after-his-grandmas-close-call/

Please check out his jelly drops website at https://www.jamesdysonaward.org/2018/project/jelly-drops/

Posted in Caregiving, GOOD News and tagged dementia, elderly, We Are The World Blogfest (WATWB)

10 Comments

Damyanti on August 30, 2018 at 11:35 pm

Hi Lizbeth, so cool to read of this young man’s initiative for his grandma and other elderly folk—thank you for sharing.

We’ve sent out (a very late) email with the cohost info—maybe you can check?

It is Simon, Belinda, Sylvia Stein, Shilpa and Andrea this time around.

Lizbeth Hartz on August 31, 2018 at 5:27 am

And thank you, Damyanti! I’m happy to share. Got your email, and just updated my post with the cohost information.

Kalpana on August 31, 2018 at 5:03 am

What an adorable solution. Loved the video. Old people are such fun to watch.

Lizbeth Hartz on August 31, 2018 at 5:29 am

Hi Kalpana,
Thanks for writing, I loved the video, too. I think the elderly are our treasures. This lady I live with is so profound. She’s like a very old tree; I feel such quiet, unhurried strength in her presence.

Hilary on September 1, 2018 at 5:58 pm

Hi Lizbeth – such an amazing idea … I do hope he can bring the project to fruition soon for those jelly drops to be available to all in need. I know how essential water is … my uncle, whom I spent a lot of time with, didn’t much like to drink and his eyes suffered without the water … I was always encouraging him … he said he felt better when he had had a drink of water … yet reverted back until I visited again – fairly often thankfully for us both. This is wonderful to see – cheers Hilary

Lizbeth Hartz on September 1, 2018 at 6:23 pm

Hi Hilary,
Yes, I think it’s an amazing idea, too. Like you, I hope it can happen quickly. The 101 year old lady I help look after doesn’t like to drink much. So I keep trying, giving her new liquids, some of which she likes, most of which she doesn’t:(
Thanks for reading and commenting:)
Aloha nui loa,
Lizbeth

Hilary on September 1, 2018 at 5:59 pm

Hi Lizbeth … I’m just checking that my comment needs moderating ..

Lizbeth Hartz on September 1, 2018 at 6:20 pm

Hi Hilary,
So you got a message that it needs moderating? So sorry, don’t know how to fix that. Will reply to it, see if that helps.

Ann on September 9, 2018 at 1:13 am

Lizbeth, you have such a big Hartz!

Lizbeth Hartz on September 9, 2018 at 3:24 am

Thanks for making me smile, Missy Hartz!

Damyanti on August 30, 2018 at 11:35 pm

Hi Lizbeth, so cool to read of this young man’s initiative for his grandma and other elderly folk—thank you for sharing.

We’ve sent out (a very late) email with the cohost info—maybe you can check?

It is Simon, Belinda, Sylvia Stein, Shilpa and Andrea this time around.
- Lizbeth Hartz on August 31, 2018 at 5:27 am
  
  And thank you, Damyanti! I’m happy to share. Got your email, and just updated my post with the cohost information.
Kalpana on August 31, 2018 at 5:03 am

What an adorable solution. Loved the video. Old people are such fun to watch.
- Lizbeth Hartz on August 31, 2018 at 5:29 am
  
  Hi Kalpana,
  Thanks for writing, I loved the video, too. I think the elderly are our treasures. This lady I live with is so profound. She’s like a very old tree; I feel such quiet, unhurried strength in her presence.
Hilary on September 1, 2018 at 5:58 pm

Hi Lizbeth – such an amazing idea … I do hope he can bring the project to fruition soon for those jelly drops to be available to all in need. I know how essential water is … my uncle, whom I spent a lot of time with, didn’t much like to drink and his eyes suffered without the water … I was always encouraging him … he said he felt better when he had had a drink of water … yet reverted back until I visited again – fairly often thankfully for us both. This is wonderful to see – cheers Hilary
- Lizbeth Hartz on September 1, 2018 at 6:23 pm
  
  Hi Hilary,
  Yes, I think it’s an amazing idea, too. Like you, I hope it can happen quickly. The 101 year old lady I help look after doesn’t like to drink much. So I keep trying, giving her new liquids, some of which she likes, most of which she doesn’t:(
  Thanks for reading and commenting:)
  Aloha nui loa,
  Lizbeth
Hilary on September 1, 2018 at 5:59 pm

Hi Lizbeth … I’m just checking that my comment needs moderating ..
- Lizbeth Hartz on September 1, 2018 at 6:20 pm
  
  Hi Hilary,
  So you got a message that it needs moderating? So sorry, don’t know how to fix that. Will reply to it, see if that helps.
Ann on September 9, 2018 at 1:13 am

Lizbeth, you have such a big Hartz!
- Lizbeth Hartz on September 9, 2018 at 3:24 am
  
  Thanks for making me smile, Missy Hartz!