London-based student Lewis Hornby is a grandson on a mission. When he noticed that his dementia-afflicted grandmother was having trouble staying hydrated, he came up with Jelly Drops—bite-sized pods of edible water that look just like tasty treats.
Each of these colorful “candies” is made up of mostly water, with gelling agents and electrolytes making up just 10% of their composition. Available in a rainbow of colors and presented in packaging reminiscent of a box of chocolates, Jelly Drops are an easy and engaging way to avoid dehydration—a common problem for those suffering from degenerative neurological diseases.
“It is very easy for people with dementia to become dehydrated,” he explains. “Many no longer feel thirst, don’t know how to quench thirst, or don’t have the dexterity to drink.” With this in mind, Hornby set out to find a solution. In addition to seeking advice from psychologists and doctors, he opted to “experience” life with dementia himself through the use of virtual reality tools and a week in a care home.
Once he was familiar with what dementia patients need, he brainstormed what they want. “From my observations, people with dementia find eating much easier than drinking. Even still, it can be difficult to engage and encourage them to eat. I found the best way to overcome this is to offer them a treat! This format excites people with dementia, they instantly recognize it and know how to interact with it.”
Case in point? Hornby’s own grandmother’s reaction: “When first offered, grandma ate seven Jelly Drops in 10 minutes, the equivalent to a cup full of water—something that would usually take hours and require much more assistance.”
What a fantastic helper.
First of all, this is an amazing invention.
Second of all, I’d like to remind everyone that Jell-o counts as a fluid.
That is, many doctors prescript Jell-o, and Gelatin treats to children and adults who, for whatever reason, have trouble keeping hydrated. Maybe they have jaw issues. Maybe dementia, or they are on a fluid-only diet and drinking broth for weeks is mind-boggling boring.
Jell-o brand in particular has a lot of sugar added to the packets, however it’s quite straightforward to buy plain gelatin and make low-sugar jelly blobs to snack on for that sweet fruit-pop of hydration.
Soo~ Here we goooo~
2 cups juice – Orange juice, grape juice, whatever you want.
Fuck, you could even use your favorite blend of tea, or coffee (though coffee,
in my experience, needs a little more gelatin to set properly)Low heat until juice is hot, but before it starts to boil – once
you see a bit of bubbles rising, add 2 tablespoons gelatin, and stir gelatin into hot
juice until totally dissolved.Turn off heat
Add another cup and a half of juice (or whatever), stir for
another minute or so, then pour into a mold.You could pour it into ice cube trays, a Tupperware container,
or any sort of silicone candy mold.Cover it, stick in the fridge overnight, and viola~
Bite-sized taste snacks, full of water.
Gelatin is broken down very easily and put to use once in
your gut, so it’s fine to eat loads of it, and otherwise you’re just taking mouthfuls of juice… or tea or
whatever.If you want it a bit more sweet, feel free to add sugar or honey to your hot juice… or hot…whatever…
I was pondering about the guy’s electrolytes worked and now I’m paralyzed with the idea of turning Gatorade into jell-o.
Don’t use pineapple juice for this!!! The enzymes break down the gelatin and you’ll be left with soup.
Right on, forgot about that! Kiwi, Pineapple, Figs, Ginger, Guava, and Papaya have an enzyme that flips the bird to gelatin.
Apple, Grape, Strawberries, Orange, Cherries, Blueberries, Blackberries, Lemons, Peaches, Raspberries, and Cranberries all make great gelatin snacks, though.
Man Creates Edible Water “Jelly Drops” to Help Dementia Patients Stay Hydrated
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