Hydration – an essential element of the education and positive lifestyle of Portage residents

Jennifer Loughery, nurse at the Portage
Atlantic rehabilitation centre, has implemented an awareness program on how
staying hydrated is important to overall good health.

“The youth were showing up in my office more and more frequently
with issues of constipation, fainting spells and just overall feeling unwell. A
major issue that I noticed was that none of them were drinking enough water.
Water is a basic building block to almost every cell in our bodies. When we do
not get enough water it’s the equivalent to some bricks missing in the
foundation of our house.” states Ms. Loughery.

Portage
residents learn the necessary tools so they can lead a positive and healthy
lifestyle. With this in mind, Jennifer Loughery designed a program to prevent dehydration: “In a society that believes in the use of medication to get healthy,
I wanted to get to the root of the problem and give these youth the best
possible chance at a healthy lifestyle and this starts with being hydrated. Any
resident that does not have a refillable water bottle can ask for one. Since
starting this health promotion, we handed out 25 water bottles and I am happy
to report that we no longer have residents under medication for dehydration
issues.”

In support of this essential program, Mr. Al
Cunningham, a native of Sussex, New Brunswick, and Canadian Tire dealer in Nova
Scotia, generously made a donation of 300 water bottles. Portage Atlantic staff
and youth say “thank you” to Mr. Cunningham and Canadian Tire for supporting
this important initiative!