Hydration research in long term care patients

Sometimes the best academic ideas don’t come from labs or lecture halls, but from lived experience. That’s exactly what YukonU researcher Dr. Liris Smith’s recent research on hydration in long-term care demonstrates.

Initiated by patient partner Laurel Radley, whose aunt was struggling in care due to dehydration, the project began with a simple question: Why isn’t hydration being prioritized, and what impact might it have if it were? What followed was a nationwide selection process by the SPOR Evidence Alliance—an organization supporting evidence-based decision making in health care. Out of more than 80 proposals, Radley’s idea was one of 20 chosen, and Smith, a principal researcher for the Alliance, was paired with her to lead the systematic review.

Consisting of librarians, researchers, and others with lived experience, the team spent many months reviewing studies on hydration interventions in long-term care. The findings were telling: while many studies suggested improved outcomes (reduced unnecessary hospital admissions, better awareness, and overall health status), challenges like low staffing and inconsistent measurement often lead to implementation barriers.

But rather than let their findings languish on a shelf, Smith and her team prioritized knowledge mobilization. They hosted a community event in the Yukon, inviting decision makers, senior care supporting nonprofits, and care workers to discuss next steps. Encouragingly, future funding has been secured and a Yukon-based hydration project will begin implementation in the coming year.

Crucially, this project wasn’t just about drinking water. As Smith puts it, “this is an example of how we hope research should be done… people with lived experience are leading.” When scientific findings are presented in an accessible and actionable way, they can empower us to make meaningful change, one glass of water at a time.

Smith was a recipient of funds from YukonU’s Scholarly Activity Grant to assist in the Knowledge Mobilization events for this project.