Senior Health: Dehydration is an issue for your senior’s entire body because every system in her body needs water in order to function well.
If she’s not drinking enough water or if she’s losing more water than she’s taking in, that causes problems all throughout her body. That can leave her with bigger problems with her senior health that can be difficult to correct if she’s making a habit of getting too little water.
Existing Health Issues
So many health issues have an impact on your senior’s ability to have the fluids she needs when she needs them. High blood pressure, diabetes, and kidney disease are just a few examples of health issues that can affect your senior’s ability to remain properly hydrated. Make sure to talk to your senior’s doctor about what she needs to be aware of in terms of proper hydration.
Medication Side Effects
It isn’t just health issues that affect hydration levels, though. The medications that your senior takes to help her with those health issues can also have an effect. People with high blood pressure may take diuretics, for instance, which can require that your senior drink a little more water to avoid becoming dehydrated. It’s a good idea to ask your senior’s doctor about how her medication can impact her ability to stay hydrated.
Cognitive Changes
Your senior’s brain changes as she ages, but there can also be illnesses that affect her brain and her ability to remember to drink enough water. Having some techniques on hand for reminding your senior to sip some water throughout the day can make hydrating more fun. Smartphone apps, bottles that keep water cold, and more are all tools you might want to consider.
Too Much Time in the Heat
If the weather is nice, your senior may want to spend more time outside enjoying the fresh air. The problem is that when temperatures keep getting hotter and hotter, your senior may lose more fluids than she thinks she is. Reminding her to keep track of her fluid intake when she is outside is crucial. It’s also important that your senior doesn’t spend too much time outside in the hottest parts of the day.
Monitoring water intake and finding ways to remind your senior to hydrate are extremely important tasks as her family caregiver. Home care providers can help your elderly family member to stay on top of their senior health by avoiding dehydration as much as possible.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Home Health Care in San Jose, CA, contact the friendly staff at Home Care Professionals today.
Call (866)-940-4855
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