Unique drinking aid for the handicapped developed by a carer now expected to be used globally

Unique drinking aid for the handicapped developed by a carer now expected to be used globally

A unique piece of equipment enabling patients to drink without assistance could soon be adopted on a global basis.  Remarkably it has been developed from a crude home made version built by a carer.

Its announcement follows news that many  elderly patients are suffering from dehydration as some care staff and nurses are unable to keep topping them up with water due to being overworked and understaffed.

The Drinkup concept came about through necessity in 1997, when Chris Adams, a Hertfordsire furniture businessman became concerned that his injured grandmother was unable to drink normally.  She was involved in a serious fall breaking both her arms and jaw, resulting in hospitalization.

Anxiety

"It soon became evident that she couldn't drink anything without constantly having to ask for help.  This caused her great feelings of discomfort and anxiety, a feeling of helplessness and symptoms of dehydration. Nurses were too busy and too few available," Adams told The Health Correspondent.

He knew he had to do something to lessen her distress and developed a crude, but highly effective device which dealt with the problem. It provided a constant source of hydration to quench her thirst and aid to her recovery.

"The device gives some level of independence; comfort and self esteem back to the less able user and promote a healthier attitude towards hydration and its overall importance for general health," he added.

Medical Interest

The medical profession already sees the product as an aid to helping reduce infection and complications arising from poor hydration.

They have complimented Adams on his ingenuity, and called for it to be made more available for other patients.

After extensive market research it became clear to Adams that existing oral hydration products were quite limited in their scope of use and that none were designed for organised, managed, easy and cost effective use throughout professional healthcare provision. He also saw a need to help people in their own homes, who needed more versatile yet affordable equipment.

The brief was to design an apparatus suitable for use in hospitals & care homes by a variety of less able people. Something that was simple and cost effective to produce and purchase in comparison with the cost of nursing / carers time spent ‘hydrating' less able people or treating patients / services users from the effects and complications related to dehydration.

Functionality

It needed to be versatile in its range of use and functionality to cover most situations and needs.

Chris Adams formed the company Adret Gibs Ltd after leaving the furniture business. This provided the platform that enabled the development of the device that became the patented Drinkup, a robust, solid, versatile hands free drinking system.

Currently, the Drinkup system is being trailed in a number of NHS hospitals including Stoke Mandeville.

Encouraging Results

The results although still provisional are looking very encouraging. In parallel to the trials, the Drinkup system is very popular with Social Service Occupational Therapists, seeing a need with their clients.

The product is also being sold into many care homes and to private individuals. There is a healthy international interest in the product. With a newly appointed European distributor the systems are being sold into America and New Zealand and there is the potential that it will soon become global.

Source and further information:

For journalists working on nursing and carer journals and magazine this further information may be useful to their readers:

User Benefits

The benefits for the user:

• Enables people to drink without assistance from Carers or Nurses.
• For the elderly, injured or less able person, where the use of hands, arms or control of grip is impaired, weak or nonexistent.
• Free standing and self-supporting.
• Simple in design and fully adjustable.
• Can be used whilst lying or seated, from a bed or chair.
• Accepts almost any household cup, mug, glass, drinks can or NHS type jug for larger drinks.
• The user controls the amount of fluid required via a special bite valve.
• The bite valve acts as an anti-siphon valve and non-return valve.
• Completely washable, with removable parts and reusable/disposable drinking tubes and bite valves.

The benefits for the carer:

• For use in hospitals, care/nursing homes and by individuals in their own homes.
• In all situations Drinkup reduces the time given to the basic task of keeping the dependent person or Service User well hydrated.
• In a professional care situation financial savings may result from the dependent person or Service User being well hydrated and/or reallocation of staff time, thus Drinkup pays for itself within a short period of time.
• No electricity or batteries required.
• For use in hospitals, care/nursing homes and by individuals in their own homes.   

Source:

Andy Demetriou: Tel 01992 632347
E- mail sales@drinkup.uk.com
www.drinkup.uk.com

Article Source: http://www.theukarticledirectory.co.uk