WATER WAY TO CELEBRATE MEALS ON WHEELS - 03-10-2008

Older people in Derbyshire are being encouraged to drink more water as part of National Meals on Wheels Week.
The national week, which aims to promote the benefits of meals on wheels, runs from Monday 6 October to Friday 10 October.
This year Derbyshire County Council is using the week to not only promote its meals service, delivered on behalf of the authority by apetito and Wiltshire Farm Foods, but also to encourage older people to drink more fluids.
One of the main concerns is that older people who become dehydrated could suffer from dizzy spells and are more likely to have falls and injure themselves.
Across the county more than 4,000 people receive the county council's subsidised meals service, which costs £1.40 for a main course and a dessert.
The meals are frozen and people receive a delivery once a fortnight, giving them the flexibility to eat the meals when they choose.
Everyone who receives the service will receive an information leaflet from the county council with their fortnightly meals delivery encouraging them to drink more water and other fluids and telling them of the benefits of staying hydrated.
As well as the water theme, the county council held a competition for two people and their guests to be chauffeur-driven to a regional meals on wheels event in Leicester during National Meals on Wheels Week.
The competition was open to all Derbyshire meals on wheels customers and names were drawn out of a hat.
The winners are Harry Bagshaw and his wife Hilda, of Hadfield, Glossop, and Maureen Leech of Staveley and her brother Gerald Jervis of Barlborough, who is her carer.
They will be accompanied to Leicester by Derbyshire County Council chair Councillor Joyce Sanders and will be treated to a free lunch.
Derbyshire County Council cabinet member for adult social services Councillor Dave Allen said: "As well as promoting our excellent meals on wheels service, this year we thought we'd use the national week to get across a very important message.
"Not drinking enough fluids can lead to dehydration and can give people headaches and make them tired and sick.
"The main worry is that it can lead to dizziness which puts people more at risk of falling and injuring themselves.
"We hope people will read their leaflets and take up the advice."
For more information about the county council's meals on wheels service contact Call Derbyshire on 08456 058 058.

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