Nutrition and Hydration Week 11 - 17 March 2024
Nutrition and Hydration Week aims to raise awareness about the role food and drink plays in preserving our health and wellbeing.
Malnutrition in older people commonly means being underweight and/or undernourished. Eating a balanced and nutritious diet with plenty of food rich in fats and protein can prevent further weight loss, and ensure we get the nutrients and energy we need in our bodies. Unintentional weight loss can be a sign of malnutrition.
How to spot the signs
- Brittle and thin hair
- Loss of appetite
- Jewellery such as rings and bracelets are loose
- Clothing is looser, especially around waists and collars
- Cupboards are empty or foods are out of date
- Joint and bone pain
- Becoming ill more often and recover very slowly
- Seeming more tired and lethargic
- Dentures and glasses no longer fit
HILS meals on wheels provides an excellent solution to help combat the dangers associated with dehydration and malnutrition through our daily hot meal provision.
On delivery, the Community Team Members carry out a caring wellbeing check and offer the client a glass of water to help encourage them to drink. Every meal is carefully created by our food supplier, apetito, who’s in-house chefs and dietitians ensure that all their meals are nutritionally balanced to support a healthy diet.
As well as the wide range of lunch options, HILS also offer Tea Packs for clients purchasing a main meal at lunchtime which includes a sandwich, a piece of cake and a piece of fruit. These are delivered at the same time as their hot lunch time meal and are placed in their refrigerator to enjoy later.
Nutrition and Hydration information
Contact HILS on: 0330 2000 103 or visit www.hils-uk.org
