What causes dehydration in elders?
Dehydration is a harmful reduction in the amount of water in one’s body. Dehydration occurs in all age groups. Anyone can become dehydrated but the elderly are at serious risk if they face dehydration. This may be due to their age where there is a whole lot less fluid inside their body. And it can also be the after-effects of medication that causes dehydration. Many seniors fall sick and in some cases severely ill due to dehydration. With progress in age , it becomes quite a challenge to notice the need for water and fluid retention in the body . Because of which the elders experience a diminished thirst and thus the need for water for the proper functioning of the body. Dehydration can have very subtle signs at first which makes it hard to detect. But it is a condition that can escalate very quickly for lack of proper attention.
How does dehydration affect elders?
A senior citizen suffering from dehydration may show the below-mentioned signs:
Dizziness
Headaches
Vomiting
Muddled and confused
Dark-coloured urine
Tiredness
Grogginess
Low blood pressure
Brain fog
Dehydration in turn can lead to further complications in one’s health. Heat cramps, heat heat strokes and heat exhaustion, are complications that are caused by dehydration.
What to do when faced with dehydration? Combat dehydration with the following methods.
Drink plenty of fluids especially water frequently especially in the summer season. Certain health conditions like heart failure do not allow for a person to consume as much water as they want. So it is advisable to consult a doctor as to the amount of one water one needs to take if they are going through kidney related or heart related issues.
Consume fruits and vegetables that are high in water content. These include watermelons, cucumber, tomatoes, citrus fruits
It is important to stay cool. Excessive exposure to heat can cause dehydration. Wearing cool clothes that are comfortable during the summer can cause body temperatures to be at a normal level.
Carrying water along with you can help in beating the heat, and thereby preventing dehydration.
One of the ways to assess whether you are dehydrated is to feel the membrane of your mouth. If it’s dry then it's time to increase the fluid intake.
Extra Electrolytes - Normally, drinking water is enough to fight dehydration. But there are cases when the body needs to increase its electrolyte consumption. During times of exercise, or when a senior citizen is engaged in sports, a sports drink usually takes care of electrolyte imbalance in the body ( please be careful not to buy one that is loaded with calories and sugar - read the label .
Stay indoors during mid-day hours.The best time to run any errands for the elderly is during day time preferably before 8 am or after 5pm in , considering the Chennai heat.
Avoid exercise when it's hot outside. The ideal time to exercise would be when it's not hot outside as it is a very well known fact that heat strokes can happen in the peak of summer as a result of dehydration.
It is always advisable to seek air-conditioned environments like the mall or movie theater when the temperatures are soaring outside.
An important aspect of care giving to the elders also includes the family members or caretenders being able to recognise the warning signs of heat related illnesses or dehydration such as nausea or headache, fainting and immediate action should be taken in such cases where the warning signs are very evident. If proper attention is given to the primary needs of a senior citizen in terms of water and nutritious food and comfortable surroundings , then dehydration can be very well prevented in the elderly.
Author: Team 60plus India
Keywords :Dehydration, fluids, elderly
Hashtags : #hydration #water #health #selfcare #rehydrate #hydrate #rehydration
