A BOURNEMOUTH university student whose grandmother suffered a fall due to dehydration has invented a cup which is saving the lives of elderly people in care and in hospital.

After her own grandmother became dehydrated because she wasn’t drinking enough liquid, and subsequently suffered a fall, product designer Ellie Van Leeuwen invented a cup which has seen a 60 per cent improvement in dehydration amongst those who have used it.

Ellie's Droplet cup caught the eye of the NHS’s Clinical Director for Innovation, Dr Tony Young, and now it’s been launched nationally.

“In 2014 my gran was admitted to hospital for a routine hip operation,” said Ellie. “Whilst she was recovering she became incredibly confused and disorientated, she didn’t know who she was and struggled to recognise her family.

“We thought it was the early signs of dementia but when she returned home from hospital she had a bad fall and was diagnosed by a doctor with severe dehydration.”

She realised that staff needed to know if someone wasn’t drinking enough liquid.

“During my research visits to hospitals and care homes I saw first-hand the functional, medicinal drinking aids that were being used by patients,” she said. “In many cases they resembled beakers and were often chewed, stained or baby-like – worlds apart from the comforting familiarity of the cups and mugs used at home.”

Inspired, Ellie dedicated her final year at university to producing the Droplet cup, which has an innovative base that recognises when the user hasn't had a drink for a while. When this happens gentle flashing lights are activated to remind them to drink, followed by a voice reminder (auto or pre recorded by loved ones) to further encourage people to take a sip.

More than 100 healthcare professionals have helped or contributed to the project, including speech, language and occupational therapists, dieticians, geriatric consultants, matrons, dementia support managers, infection control nurses.

Initial trials showed a 63 per cent increase - an extra 500ml a day - in people drinking more, making it an efficient and cost-effective method of improving hydration levels and health.