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How to Keep a Senior Hydrated During the Summer

As the summer months come creeping closer, you will be worried about your senior parent. Their body starts regulating temperature differently as they age, and it can be hard to keep track of how much your senior is drinking. They should be consuming as much water as anyone else, but this is something that can be super easy to forget as an elderly adult. If you’re not able to be around your senior every day, you may need to consider hiring home care assistance to ensure they are staying hydrated.

Home care assistance can help keep your senior parent from overheating by monitoring their condition and their surroundings. It can be an extra safety precaution when you cannot see your senior every day, especially while it’s sweltering out.

Dehydration symptoms in the elderly might be challenging to detect as a caregiver. Because older people do not feel thirsty as rapidly as younger people, identifying the indications might be difficult. Continue reading to learn about the warning signs and some fast ways to keep the elderly in your life hydrated. Here are some things you can do or recommend to keep your elderly loved one hydrated.

Understand the Signs of Dehydration

No matter who is with your senior, whether it is you or home care assistants, understanding the signs of dehydration is important. Here are a few things to look for.

Dry Mouth
Cramping Limbs
No Tears While Crying
Headaches
Body Aches/Weakness
Irritability and Fatigue
Low Urine/ Constipation
Dry Skin

Lifting the skin on the back of your loved one’s hand is one of the easiest methods to see whether they are dehydrated. Pinch a bit of skin off the back of their hand with your pointer and thumb, pull up, and let go. They are not dehydrated if their skin soon falls back onto the top of their hand.

How to Help Them Stay Hydrated

There are a few ways to ensure your senior is drinking enough throughout the day.

Encourage Hydration Through Communication

Encourage the older folks in your life to drink often and on a regular basis. Maintain a constant supply of drinks around them. If they have mobility concerns, get a refillable water bottle and place it close to their bed or chair. If they don’t like plain water, try adding some fruit to it. Berries, lemons, and limes are excellent flavoring agents for water. Cucumbers and mint are two more ingredients that might improve flavor.

Take Breaks From Being Outside

If your elderly loved one is someone who loves to be outdoors, that is great! It is incredibly healthy to get outside and garden or walk around. On the other hand, these activities can lead to dehydration. Encourage healthy breaks and go under the shade to sip on an ice-cold drink. This should be done often.

Look At Medications

Some medications can lead to dehydration, so you must know what they’re taking and keep in touch with their doctor. If dehydration becomes too severe, a senior doctor may want to change their prescription.

Home Care Assistance Can Help

Not only for keeping your senior hydrated, home care assistance offers companionship, meal preparation, transportation, light housekeeping and more. Consider home care assistance for your senior during the hot summer months and beyond.