During the summer months, one of the most important things to do is to check up on your senior family members. While their medical checks are important, you also need to ensure that they are getting the required hydration to stay healthy.
Preventing dehydration in senior citizens is crucial because dehydration can lead to even more serious health issues, which could require hospitalization. Remaining hydrated is also needed for medications to work properly.
Here are a few more reasons why seniors need to stay hydrated:
- Kidney function: When it comes to filtering blood, our kidneys remove waste, maintain fluid balance, and regulate electrolytes. As seniors get older, their kidneys lose the ability to process waste, resulting in a decreased capacity to produce urine. It is important to drink enough water to keep kidneys in good shape.
- Brain function: Seniors can experience dehydration-related symptoms that resemble indicators of dementia. Proper hydration has a vital role in the normal cognitive functioning of the brain cells, especially at an advanced age.
- Urinary incontinence: This is a stressful and uncomfortable feeling. A lot of seniors try to avoid drinking water as they’d like to avoid the general experience of urinary incontinence, but the dehydration itself may increase the likelihood of various health problems. Reduced fluid intake can lead to urinary tract infections, which can result in sustained pain.
Tips to keep seniors hydrated:
- Keep multiple hydration options close by.
- Measure and prepare a day’s worth of water every evening.
- Keep a journal of water intake to make sure you’re getting enough.
Thus, you can see the importance hydration has for seniors! Make sure they get their required fluid intake and take extra care in the summer.
