Dehydration is a problem year-round for seniors, but many think about it more in the summer. Staying properly hydrated keeps bodily functions working the way that they should and can prevent a wide range of health issues. Seniors who are having trouble with hydration can benefit greatly from home care assistance to ensure they’re getting enough fluids.
Risks in Senior Dehydration
Anybody can get dehydrated, but seniors are typically at greater risk of becoming dehydrated. That’s mainly because their thirst response changes as they grow older, making them less likely to even think about sipping on a beverage. Medical conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and kidney disease can all affect fluid balance, making dehydration more likely. Also, seniors are more likely to experience decreased mobility which makes it tougher for them to get up and get something to drink.
Hydration Monitoring
The first step in solving this issue is to figure out how to easily monitor the amount of fluids that seniors are drinking. Home care providers can be a huge help with this. They can work with seniors to create and maintain food and hydration logs or remind seniors to track fluid intake in a smartphone app. They can also offer seniors fluids more often.
Hydrating Meals
Any time of year is perfect for hydrating meals. Soups and broths are hydrating, but fruits and vegetables that are high in water content are great choices, too. The key is to find foods that the senior likes eating that are also high in water content. This helps them to get nutritious foods, but also naturally increases their fluid intake.
Monitoring for Signs of Dehydration
It’s important to monitor seniors for signs of dehydration. These signs could include a dry mouth, dry skin, confusion, dizziness, and dark urine. Seniors who are dehydrated may not realize that they are. They might start to feel weak or tired and they could be more susceptible to heat. Home care assistance is experienced in watching for signs of dehydration so that they can help seniors immediately.
Watching for Medication Side Effects
Some medications have side effects that can lead to dehydration. Understanding the side effects of a senior’s medications can help family caregivers to watch out for potential issues and adjust things like fluid intake to counteract those side effects. If regular dehydration is becoming an issue, it might be time to do a medication review with the senior’s doctor.
Improving Fluid Accessibility
For so many seniors, having fluids be more accessible is the key to avoiding dehydration. Whether the problem involves mobility challenges or simply that seniors keep forgetting to drink water, home care assistance can offer reminders and make sure seniors always have a glass or bottle of water handy.
Home care assistance helps aging adults manage a great many issues they face on a regular basis, including the possibility of dehydration. Keeping seniors healthy and safe means looking at all sorts of possible problems, like whether they’re getting enough fluids every day or not.
If you or an aging loved one is considering home care assistance in Walnut Creek, CA, please contact the caring staff at Provident Care Home Care today at (209) 578-1210.
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