Hydration is essential for maintaining electrolyte balance, appropriate blood volume, digestion, nutrition delivery, and kidney function. In addition, if your elderly loved one becomes dehydrated, they are in danger of mental confusion.
For elderly loved ones, their body’s fluid reserve becomes smaller, their ability to conserve water is reduced, and their thirst sense becomes less acute. These problems are compounded by chronic illnesses, such as diabetes and those receiving Alzheimer’s Dementia Care, and by the use of certain medications. Older adults also may have mobility problems that limit their ability to obtain water for themselves.
As such, make sure to identify early signs of dehydration within your senior loved one with or without the help of our 24-hour care in Arizona. Signs such as dry skin and lips, dizziness, confusion, dark-colored urine, fatigue, and decreased frequency of urination. If not remedied immediately, dehydration can cause severe complications, such as:
- Heat injury
- Urinary and kidney problems
- Seizures
- Low blood volume shock
Adult men should drink about ten cups of water (2500 ml) per day, while women should drink about eight cups (2000 ml) per day. However, make sure that hydration is also fun for your senior loved ones to keep them interested. Here are some ways that our home care in Scottsdale, Arizona, recommends:
- Adding cut fruit and berries to the water
- Ensuring a diet high in water content
- Offering juice mixed with water to lessen the sugar content
At Heritage Home Care, we offer quality home care and companionship services that aim to improve your senior’s health and quality of life.
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