Wet your Whistle with Water (W3): A grassroots strategy to improve water intake in residential care

Award Date: 2021

Project Lead(s): Heather Keller

Project Title: Wet your Whistle with Water (W3): A grassroots strategy to improve water intake in residential care

Dehydration is common among older adults living in retirement, assisted living, and long-term care residences. Wet your Whistle with Water (W3) is an intervention co-designed by staff, residents, and implementation specialists to promote water intake in older adults. The program includes training materials and proven team-based strategies to support water intake developed in collaboration with Schlegel Villages staff and residents. Team members in 19 Schlegel Villages will receive training on the importance of water and hydration through an intra-net training portal. Innovation Champions, with the support of the research team, will implement team behaviour change strategies. Audits in the two test sites will be used to determine team behaviour change, health outcomes, and future program improvements.