Drinkup21 - Hands-free Drinking

‘The Original Drinkup Hands-free Drinking System’ came into being because the inventor’s grandmother had been admitted to hospital and was finding it difficult to drink. He wanted to help prevent her becoming dehydrated and increase her autonomy and dignity, while at the same time reducing the workload for her carers.

Starting in 1997, the ‘Drinkup’ has been developed further and a new version has recently been launched: the Drinkup21 is a simple but effective product, which can dramatically improve people’s health. It works on the same basic principle as an ordinary cup and drinking straw but has been radically re-worked for hands-free use by people at risk of dehydration, enabling them to drink without assistance, while potentially avoiding the need for a naso-gastric (NG) feeding tube.

It is manufactured to a very high-quality specification to withstand the rigours of use within a healthcare environment.

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Completely hands-free

 

Suitable for Rehabilitation or Care

 

Reduces the risk of dehydration

Key Features:

• Reduces the risk of dehydration.
• Permits drinking, even when arm function is completely lost.
• For use in rehabilitation or as a living aid.
• The anti-siphon, non-return bite valve, can help reduce the effort required to suck.
• Suitable for thickened fluids (eg nutritional mixes).
• For use with cold or warm drinks.
• Suitable for home use, or in a care home or hospital.
• 1 litre bottle.
• Fixed in position with a clamp.
• Easy clean.

Why use the Drinkup21?

Dehydration can lead to very serious medical complications, for example: confusion, urinary infection, impaired renal function and blood clotting problems, such as DVT. Older people are particularly at risk. Therefore, ensuring adequate hydration is a crucially important responsibility for carers, as stressed by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). The Drinkup21 is designed to make drinking easier and hence improve fluid intake, while simultaneously reducing the workload for staff.

The Drinkup21 may be highly beneficial in many clinical situations including, for example:

• • ‘Motor’ problems, such as the severe weakness caused by spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, MND or stroke; incoordination; or severe tremor, for instance caused by Parkinson's.
  • Pain, for instance due to arthritis, can badly impair arm function.
  • Cognitive problems, in which the person does not recognise the need for drinking eg dementia.
  • Reduced thirst, which is more common in older age.

 

Drinkup21 'in location'

Product

The basic Drinkup21 consist of the following parts:

Core components

• 1litre BOTTLE
• CAP
• BODY (holder)
• Multi-positioning CLAMP
• Flexible ARM assembly
  (which holds drinking tube in correct position)

BODY (Holder) & CLAMP

The following consumables are available:

• Drinking Tube
• Bite Valve (mouthpiece)
• Elbow Connector

These are supplied as a ‘Consumables Parts Pack’. 

A Tube Cleaning Brush can be purchased separately if required.

Bite Valve

Bite Valve OPEN

Each Drinkup 21 comes with a Consumables Parts Pack included and packs can also be purchased separately. We recommend holding at least two packs, so that while one is in use the other can be cleaned. 

Using the Drinkup21 - Positioning, Fitting & Moving

• Fill the bottle with the chosen fluid.
• Secure the cap with the end of the drinking tube well into the bottle.
• Fix the bottle within the body (holder).
• Fix the holder using the multi-positioning clamp. The clamp can be secured to any suitable 2-sided object, including tables, beds, chairs, wheelchairs or powerchairs.
• The Drinkup21 is easiest to use when it’s set up at a similar height/level to the User’s head, so the flexible arm, drinking tube and bite valve are as horizontal as possible.
• However, if required, gravity may be used by placing the bottle at a higher level.

‘Safe-Siphon’ Mode

If the Drinkup21 is positioned above the user's mouth gravity will reduce the effort required to suck in fluids. This can be helpful when the user suffers from weakness – the flow of fluid can be modulated by:

• the carer, adjusting the height of the bottle
• the user varying the pressure of their bite on the valve (the user’s ability to control their ‘on/off‘ bite action must be assessed when setting up the system).

Instructions for using the Drinkup21 (Page1)

Instructions for using the Drinkup21 (Page 2)

Types of Fluid

The Drinkup21 can be used with a variety of different fluids from water, fruit-juice or even thickened fluids with higher nutritional content, but which may be harder for the user to take in.

Each person should be assessed carefully to make sure that they can manage - in general, thin custard or medium syrup consistencies work well for most people, whilst thicker mixes are harder to suck (the set-up can be adjusted so gravity assists. The ‘Safe-Siphon’ Mode can also be used with thickened fluids).

The Drinkup21 should never be used with very hot or cold drinks.

Cleaning, Hygiene & Care

To reduce the risk of infection frequent cleaning of the Drinkup20 hardware should be cleaned frequently with disposable sterilising wipes and washed by hand in warm water & mild detergent.

Sterilising solution may also be used. Thoroughly rinse, drain, drip dry/wipe dry before reuse or storage (see instructions for further details).

Consumables should be replaced regularly as long-term use of the same set of consumables is not recommended. However, when the Drinkup21 is used by an individual in their own home, consumables may be reused, providing they are kept properly cleaned, particularly if the Drinkup21 is being used mainly for water, which will leave less residue.

The Drinking Tube may be washed by hand in warm water & mild detergent, but not in a dishwasher, as this is not effective for internal cleaning (a cleaning brush is available which can be used to clean the inside of the tube).

Consumables should never be shared between different users.

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Buy Drinkup 21

Drinkup21 System

Code: FB-DU-20
Price ex VAT £97.50

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Drinkup21 Consumables

Code: FB-DU-CPP
Price ex VAT £7.95

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Drinkup21 Cleaner

Code: FB-DU-BRUSH
Price ex VAT £7.95

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