While the summer is often filled with joyous occasions, it’s also a dangerous time, especially for seniors. Seniors especially need to be vigilant over the summer in order to remain healthy and happy. One very important piece of staying safe and healthy is avoiding dehydration.
Dehydration is an excessive loss of water from the body often caused by excessive urination, sweating, vomiting, or diarrhea. Dehydration is the leading cause of why seniors are admitted to the hospital or feel sick. Symptoms of dehydration include lethargy, confusion, constipation, dizziness, or falling. When you are suspecting someone is suffering from dehydration, the best thing to do is make sure that the water intake is at normal levels and consult a medical doctor. Additionally, it is common for seniors to need hospital attention because of the cognitive and mental impairments that are side effects of dehydration.
How can one avoid dehydration? You should strive to drink 1.5 to 2 liters of water per day. Water should be consumed at multiple times throughout the day, rather than all at once. By taking these necessary precautions, dehydration can be avoided or kept to a minimum. Finding it difficult to drink enough water throughout the day? Here are some helpful tips to make drinking water a breeze.
- Try adding some favorite fruit to your water. We love adding mint and lemon, but any fruit works. Try strawberries, melons, or even oranges.
- Set reminders for certain times of day to drink. Perhaps setting a timer for every half hour.
- Drink a glass of water after each bathroom break.
- Replace water with any other beverage such as soda, tea, or coffee.
- Talk with your Pearl (or caregiver) about how much water you are currently drinking and work together to make sure you are staying on track.
