Homefield Grange Care Home Part of Winning Team at the Nursing Times Awards 2024
We’re delighted to share that the Dorset Hydration Project is this year’s winner in the Infection Prevention and Control category at the Nursing Times Awards – an initiative that our team at Homefield Grange Care Home in Christchurch is proud to have been involved in from the outset.
Every Drop Every Cup Every Bite Counts
The NHS Dorset and Dorset Integrated Care Partnership pilot began in April 2023 and Homefield Grange was one of 8 care homes to take part, alongside 6 wards in acute trust and 2 wards in community trust.
The aim of the Dorset Hydration Project - Every Drop Every Cup Every Bite Counts - was to improve hydration among older people, reducing urinary tract infections, falls, and antibiotic use, while supporting national goals on antimicrobial resistance.
Homefield Grange Team Gets Creative About Hydration
As part of the project team, Homefield Grange Care Home was keen to introduce new ideas, thinking creatively about how to encourage residents to stay hydrated as well as sharing ways of including a variety of food, drinks and fruit into their daily diet. By using fun posters and introducing a range of initiatives, the team saw some real progress, with positive feedback from residents.
Homefield Grange Manager, Adina Serban said, “Our goal was to make healthy habits enjoyable and accessible for everyone, ensuring that residents could embrace wellness in a fun and engaging way. We wanted to go beyond simply encouraging hydration and nutrition by introducing activities and ideas that sparked curiosity and enthusiasm. Seeing the residents respond so positively, trying new things with genuine excitement, and even sharing their own ideas was incredibly rewarding for the entire team. It’s amazing what can be achieved when we come together with a clear vision and a lot of heart.”
Impressing the Judges and Making a Difference To Our Residents
The judges were impressed by the initiative’s engaging, multidisciplinary approach and its clear benefits for patients, staff, and relatives, describing it as a “fun and engaging project but with a serious message that was clearly focused on patient outcomes”. They added that the pilot work was “a model for widespread adoption and transforming care across communities."
Julie Mason, Caring Homes Care Services and Operations Director added, “Congratulations to the team at Homefield Grange for their brilliant work as part of the Dorset Hydration Project, and to all involved for their success at the Nursing Times Awards. We’re delighted to have taken part in such an important pilot and have already introduced many of the initiatives across the Caring Homes Group.
Welcome to Homefield Grange Care Home in Christchurch, Dorset
Homefield Grange is a beautiful, purpose-built home in Christchurch, offering residential, nursing, and dementia care in a modern setting. You’ll a find warm and inviting space for residents and visitors with exceptional amenities, including lounges, a cinema, a hair salon and a bistro.
The wonderful surroundings at Homefield Grange Care Home are matched by our team’s standard of care. We love to learn about those staying with us by getting to know them, so your loved one’s time here is tailored to their interests, preferences, and needs. We allow for as much independence as possible and residents choose how the care home is run.
