Introduction
WaterADE was created as a hydration solution for the elderly in the care home setting in 2021 by Keith Jeffries. Since its launch, it has established itself as a must-have drink for care operators for the reasons discussed in this memorandum. It is currently available in 586 care homes in the UK, and in 325 of these it provides some 920 Hydration stations. It provides these services to a broad range of group operators such as Care UK,Aria Care , Renaissance , Meallmore , Dovehaven , Salvation Army , Luxury Care, Buckland Care , Able Care and Advinia, as well as several hundred single operators.
Why WaterADE?
Created for the Elderly.
Our hydration drink was designed for the elderly because of the following characteristics:
LOOK: Strong vibrant colours replicating the colour of fresh fruit.
SMELL: Strong smell of the 8 different flavours of fruit we offer.
TASTE: strong taste of fruit.
These characteristics enable the residents of the care home to connect with the brand. For example, a strong smell of a particular fruit brings back memories of childhood, which allows them to recognise and enjoy the fruit flavour. The strong taste helps those with a diminished palate to recognise and enjoy WaterADE.
CHOICE: WaterADE currently has 8 flavours which provide a different choice of hydration every day, as opposed to many care homes where residents currently have to have orange juice at breakfast and one or two cordials during the day.
WaterADE is launching 3 more flavours in 2025, which are Pink Grapefruit, Cranberry, and Cherry, to add to that choice or to replace orange juice at breakfast. Residents and operators complain there is a lack of choice. WaterADE offers the solution to this challenge.
All these characteristics strongly entice your residents to hydrate regularly.
1. Health
WaterADE is a non-sugar, non-gluten hydration option in comparison to orange juice. An average carton contains 28 lumps of sugar and leads to high blood sugar levels and the resulting ailments only too common among the elderly. It is simply not good for you.
WaterADE contains 4 important vitamins for the elderly: C, A, D, and E.
WaterADE provides the following percentages of the Nutrient Reference Value (NRV) per 100 ml serving.
- Vitamin C: 6 mg (7.5% NRV)
- Vitamin A: 60 µg (7.5% NRV)
- Vitamin D: 0.375 µg (7.5% NRV)
- Vitamin E: 0.90 mg (7.5% NRV)
So 1 litre of Waterade consumed by a resident provides 75% of their daily required intake.
Here’s how each vitamin benefits older adults:
Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)
- Immune support: Enhances immune function, helping fight infections.
- Antioxidant: Protects cells from oxidative damage, which is linked to aging and chronic diseases.
- Wound healing: Aids in tissue repair and recovery.
- Iron absorption: Improves absorption of non-heme iron, which helps prevent anemia.
Vitamin A
- Vision: Maintains healthy eyesight, especially night vision, which can deteriorate with age.
- Immune function: Supports the mucosal barriers and immune system.
- Skin health: Helps keep skin and mucous membrane growth.
Vitamin D
- Bone health: Enhances calcium absorption, reducing the risk of osteoporosis and fractures.
- Muscle function: Supports strength and reduces fall risk.
- Immune regulation: May help lower the risk of respiratory infections and chronic inflammation.
Vitamin E
- Antioxidant: Protects cells from oxidative stress and damage.
- Immune support: Enhances immune function, especially T-cell-mediated responses.
- Cognitive health: May help slow cognitive decline.
2. Price
Most care homes offer orange juice and a cordial combination during the day. WaterADE offers a significant saving against the price of orange juice. In many of our group customer homes, WaterADE has replaced orange juice in part and cordial as a hydration option.
Residents at breakfast have the choice of orange juice, but over time can be attracted to WaterADE as residents are offered multiple choice options of 8 flavours with a different flavour every day. This choice factor has across a number of our group customers driven a reduction in use of orange juice and the cost benefit that it brings, as WaterADE is 24p inc VAT per litre compared to some 4-6 times this cost for juice.
We also have a large number of care home customers who have replaced orange juice entirely with WaterADE. Given the introduction of Pink Grapefruit and Cranberry this is a real option to offer these fruit juices, Orange, Pink Grapefruit and Cranberry at breakfast.
A resident consumes on average 150ml of orange juice per day.
This costs the following (excluding VAT):
- Hill Care fresh orange juice per litre £1.33 = £0.20 per 150ml
- Waterade cost per litre £0.24 = £0.04 per 150ml serving
- Typical daily resident consumption 0.3 litres = Waterade cost £0.07 per day
- Fresh orange juice 0.3 litres = £0.40
- Saving £0.33 per 0.3 litres (300ml)
- Thus, they have achieved significant savings in using WaterADE v Orange juice.
The minimum order for the product is a carton. A carton contains 12 boxes. Each box contains 24 sachets. A sachet makes 2 litres, so a Carton makes 576 litres (12x24x2). The cost inc VAT per carton is £137.95/576 = 24 pence per litre.
Our data shows that a 60-bedded care home uses on average, a carton per calendar month. Therefore, the average consumption per resident in a 60-bedded home, based upon ordering a carton per calendar month, is 0.3 per litre per day (576/60/30.4). Based on this average usage, the cost per resident per day of WaterADE is 8p incl. VAT.
3. Urinary Tract Infection Study
WaterADE has completed a study with a leading UK Care Group tracking UTI rates in two target care homes. Over a period of 12 months, they linked a significant increase in hydration per resident to a significant increase in the usage of WaterADE. Over the same period in both care homes, they recorded a significant reduction in UTIs. The reduction was an 80% ie, 18 cases to 3 and 19 cases to 4.
The benefits in reduction in staff workloads, the improvement in the health and wellbeing of the residents, and to their family and loved ones are significant. Increased hydration was achieved by WaterADE’s choice of flavours and popularity with residents.
4. Hydration Station.
Our WaterADE Hydration Station provides 12 litres of refreshing, cold, fruit-flavoured drinks accessible to both carers and residents. In care homes where our Hydration Stations are used instead of distribution by way of jugs, the level of hydration rates for residents increases by a minimum of 50%.
The Hydration Station rental costs £90 per quarter, payable quarterly in advance. For this, we cover all breakdowns unless it is a consumable part that needs replacing. These are replaced somewhere between 12-18 months and are a marginal cost and can be replaced on site.
Alternatively, our customers who don’t have hydration Stations use our WaterADE 2-litre jugs to get the exact dilution and therefore taste of our drink and distribute it through this medium.
5. Offer for further Free Trials
We are happy to provide you with the use of a hydration station in a select number of your homes for a trial for four weeks, with sufficient FREE product (288 litres) to ensure your residents and staff alike enjoy the benefits of WaterADE. This would give you further proof and support to persuade you why rolling it out across your estate would be highly beneficial.
6. Account Management Support.
Waterade ships your orders to you within 24 hrs of placing your order. If you have any queries, their sales and account management team are available on 0208 123 5458 or sales@waterade.com
Alternatively, their director, Charles Wilkinson, is available on charles@waterade.com if you wish to organise a call with him to discuss Waterade or if you have any questions.
7. What our customers say
“We really liked the idea of the vitamins in the drinks and the huge choice of flavours we could offer residents. Being sugar-free also meant residents with diabetes could enjoy them without concern.
Shona Bradbury
The colours and flavour were also a deciding factor as the drinks became more appealing to residents living with dementia.”
Home Manager , Appleby House ,Care UK
“With 16 years of senior management experience in healthcare, I’ve seen firsthand how critical proper hydration is for older people.
Robin Comerford
WaterADE offers an enjoyable and accessible solution that I observed making a positive impact in care homes, both for residents and frontline staff. I thoroughly recommend WaterADE.”
Freemantle Trust