Keeping your elderly loved one hydrated is an important part of maintaining overall health, but it is often overlooked. With so many issues to worry about, it can be easy to forget the importance of hydration. Let's examine why hydration is especially important for seniors.
Issues Caused By Dehydration
Dehydration occurs when a person loses more liquid than she drinks throughout the day. The body needs to be hydrated so it can maintain body temperature, maintain blood pressure, and get rid of waste. Seniors who are dehydrated are more likely to suffer from:
Urinary-tract infections
Low blood pressure, leading to fainting spells or falls
Heat-related issues, including fatality
Constipation
Confusion
Kidney stones
Medicine toxicity
Respiratory-tract infections
Although dehydration causes many seniors to require hospitalization each year, it is one of the most preventable reasons for hospitalization.
Reasons Seniors Become Dehydrated
Seniors are more likely to become dehydrated than other age groups. Reasons for this include:
The body no longer properly regulates fluid levels like it used to
Sense of thirst diminishes, so the person has a harder time knowing when to drink water
Side effects of medications, especially diuretics
Kidneys don't function as well
Reduced mobility makes it difficult to get a glass of water
Trouble swallowing
Embarrassment about incontinence, which causes the senior to drink less
The body is less able to adapt to heat
Loss of communication skills, making it difficult to ask for a drink
Side effects of dementia, which may make it difficult for a senior to remember the last time she drank a glass of water.
Risk Factors For Dehydration
Although all seniors are at increased risk for dehydration, some circumstances make it even more likely to occur. It is important for caregivers and loved ones to recognize whether a senior is considered to be at a high level of risk for dehydration, based on the following factors:
Older than 85
Obese
Bedridden
Has more than five chronic diseases
Takes more than five prescription medications
Has diarrhea or vomiting
Has a swallowing disorder (typically caused by stroke)
If your loved one has any of these risk factors, you need to be particularly aware of their fluid intake and output.
Signs Of Dehydration
How do you know if your loved one is already dehydrated? Signs that your elderly loved one may be dehydrated include:
Headaches
Dizziness
Inability to produce tears
Inability to sweat
Low blood pressure
Confusion
Low urine output
Dark urine
Constipation
Leg cramps
If a senior exhibits any of these signs, it is important that she intakes fluids immediately. If the signs of dehydration persist, seek the advice of a doctor.
How To Encourage Proper Hydration
It is important for friends, family, and caregivers to realize that dehydration is a serious issue that can be prevented with proactive strategies. Here are several ways to prevent dehydration:
Provide a glass of water with every meal.
Make sure water is readily available throughout the day.
Encourage your loved one to regularly take sips of water.
Provide foods that are high in liquid content, such as watermelon and soup.
Encourage your loved one to drink a glass of water when she takes her medication.
Cater to her preferences. For example, if she prefers cold water, be sure to put ice in their glass. If she enjoys the taste of lemon, be sure to have lemon slices handy to improve the taste.
Put a water bottle next to her bed.
If you find that your loved one is dehydrated and you are unable to get her properly hydrated, consider a medical evaluation—especially if the senior takes medications with a diuretic side effect or causes excessive sweating.
Taking the responsibility for a senior’s well-being can be challenging enough. You do not have to do it all on your own. Contact us to learn how we can help provide home care for your elderly loved one.