Who invented them?
Lewis Hornby invented Jelly Drops in 2018 while he was a design student. He came up with the idea after his grandmother was admitted to the hospital with severe dehydration. Fortunately, after 24 hours of IV drip, she made a full recovery.
As Lewis researched further, he realized that dehydration was a very common problem, especially among people with dementia.
Why people with dementia don’t drink.
Lewis wanted to help. He began speaking with psychologists specializing in dementia. He found that many people with dementia do not feel thirsty or do not understand that a drink would quench their thirst. Additionally, many people with dementia do not recognize cups or lack the dexterity to use them.
As a design student, he was able to move into his grandmother’s nursing home for a month to observe the residents. He quickly understood the issues. He noticed some residents were putting food in their drinks or throwing them away.
Observe eating habits.
Understanding why alcohol consumption was such a problem for people with dementia, Lewis observed their eating habits. Here he noticed more independence and engagement, especially when they used their hands instead of cutlery. However, nothing caught their attention quite like a box of chocolate or sweet treats.
When Lewis walked around with a box of these products, residents were interested. They helped themselves and ate them.
Treats without the stigma.
Lewis designed his tray to look like a normal candy box. It was important to him that the solution was free of stigma. Jelly Drops were meant to be a treat that everyone could enjoy. Created with dementia in mind.
There’s a brilliant Ted Talks video here in which Lewis explains it all.
How good are the jelly drops?
Quite surprising, isn’t it? Jelly Drops are now widely available and have finally reached the United States. They are long overdue and I am excited to follow the development of the product and the company as it grows.