The general guideline to staying hydrated is having around eight glasses of water each day. This is essential for replenishing the fluids lost from your body throughout the day. Drinking enough water is crucial to ensuring your wellness, not only is hydration important for removing toxins from your body, but it is also important for multiple digestive processes. Here’s more information on dehydration in the elderly.
What Causes Dehydration in the Elderly?
Dehydration, simply put, is when the body’s output of water is more than its intake of water. Water isn’t just removed when you urinate, it is also lost through sweat, bowel movements, tears, saliva, and also in multiple bodily processes. Its critical role in so many different areas means that when there isn’t enough water, all these different processes will be affected and have an impact on your body.
For the elderly, there are many reasons that can cause this. Firstly, there is a decreased sensitivity to feelings of thirst as we age. This means that older adults are less likely to sense that they should be drinking more water. Next, mobility issues can also cause older adults to not drink water or use the restroom as it takes too much effort. This combined effect may lead to older adults avoiding drinking for this reason.
Lastly, dehydration may be because of medication or underlying health conditions. Many types of medicine act as a type of diuretic, leading to an increase in sweating and loss of water during the day.
Common Signs of Dehydration
Some of the common signs of dehydration include:
- Dry and sticky mouth
- Increased mobility issues
- Confusion, frequent headaches, and dizziness
- Low sweat or tear production
- Sunken eyes and dry skin
- Reduced skin elasticity
- Rapid heart rate and low blood pressure
How to Prevent Dehydration
To prevent dehydration, the best way is to encourage them to drink more water throughout the day. One good way is to have a water bottle or pitcher near to the places that they spend the most time in. Another option is to take in more foods that are high in water such as soups, fruits and vegetables, yogurt, and jello. Lastly, try to avoid drinking alcohol and caffeine as they can have a diuretic effect when consumed in large amounts.
Get the Best Senior Care Options at Conservatory At Alden Bridge
Here at Conservatory At Alden Bridge, we understand that having to deal with the changes that come with aging can be hard. This is especially so if you or your loved one is living alone. For the residents in our senior living community, we offer exclusive senior living programs that ensure that their unique needs in all aspects of their life, including dietary, social, spiritual, intellectual, medical, physical, and emotional wellness.
This is not just to ensure that they have all they need, it is also about going one step further to enrich their lives with joy and purpose. For more information on the different senior living options and programs that we offer, contact us today and our senior living counselors will get back to you shortly.
