Why Is Your Senior Getting Dehydrated?

Dehydration can cause so many health issues for your elderly adult, including dehydration problems with her kidneys, her blood pressure, and even with being able to remain conscious. One of the best ways to solve hydration issues for your senior is to figure out what’s contributing to the problem.

Elderly Care Seal Beach CA – Why Is Your Senior Getting Dehydrated?

Her Body Functions Differently than it Did

Your senior’s body is likely changing and operating differently than it did in the past. She may have trouble with her kidneys, with her bladder, or with other systems of her body. She may even be experiencing problems with incontinence, which makes her less inclined to drink as much water as she should be to keep herself hydrated.

Medications She’s Taking Contribute to Dehydration

Some medications may have side effects that function as a diuretic or that cause her to sweat more than she did in the past. These medications may be ones that your elderly family member needs to take, though, so it’s not something that she can necessarily just stop taking, even if it causes dehydration in elderly family members. It’s a good idea to talk to her doctor about the side effects she’s experiencing though, because there may be some solutions you can put into place.

She’s Not Recognizing Thirst the Same Way

Thirst doesn’t work the same way as your senior ages. She may no longer recognize the cues, or she may simply just not feel thirsty. This isn’t unusual at all, but if she’s waiting for that indication that she’s thirsty before she drinks, that can get her into some trouble. The key here can be encouraging your elderly family member to sip water and other hydrating fluids often throughout the day, even if she doesn’t technically feel thirsty.

She Doesn’t Want to Drink Water

For so many people, water is just not a pleasant beverage. You can try making it more interesting by adding citrus juices or other zero-calorie water flavorings. Herbal teas can also be a good choice, especially if your elderly family member can avoid sweeteners. You likely want to avoid beverages like fruit juices, especially as the main beverage throughout the day, because they are often extremely high in sugar.

It’s difficult to keep up with how much your senior is drinking, especially if you’re not there with her all day, every day. Dehydration in elderly relatives can result. Having elderly care providers there with her can make this task so much easier. They can make drinking water and other hydrating beverages a lot more fun and they can help to track her fluid intake so you both have a better idea what’s going on and head off dehydration problems.

If you or an aging loved one are considering Elderly Care Services in Seal Beach CA, please contact the caring staff at 1Heart Care Services today.