The Importance of Hydration in Seniors
When you’re thirsty, you take a drink. It’s pretty simple. Your body has a built-in system for keeping your fluid in balance by sending you thirst signals until you drink enough to make them stop. Unfortunately, as you age, those signals become less reliable, and it becomes easier to get dehydrated without even realizing it.
With the warmer summer months approaching, your dehydration risk is even greater since you lose body fluid to sweat and evaporation. That’s why it’s important to understand how staying properly hydrated helps your body function better, and it’s a good time to learn some hydration tips to protect your health.
Why Seniors are Prone to Dehydration
Beyond your thirst signal diminishing over time, your body’s natural water content also decreases. In addition, there are many other reasons you may be more likely to get dehydrated as a senior. You may have trouble keeping track of or remembering how much you drink each day, and if your mobility is restricted, you may not refill your glass as often as you should.
Diuretics and other common medications can also contribute to dehydration. Your kidneys function less efficiently with age, and other chronic health conditions, such as diabetes — which can cause frequent urination — can take a toll on your body’s fluid level. Seniors often take longer to recover from illnesses, and even a brief bout of diarrhea or vomiting can push an under-hydrated senior into dangerous territory.
How Hydration Affects Your Body
Your body relies on adequate fluid to function properly. Think of your body as a car engine; it needs fluid to operate smoothly, just like a car engine needs oil to keep all of the parts moving in sync. Adequate hydration keeps your joints lubricated for easier movement, helps you self-regulate your body temperature, ensures cells are receiving nutrients, and more.
In addition to compromising your organ function, dehydration can lead to seizures, heat stroke, low blood volume, and kidney problems.
Signs of Dehydration
Listening to your body can be a good indication that you need more fluids. Some symptoms of dehydration in seniors include:
Extreme thirst or feeling like you can’t get enough to drink
Less saliva than usual, with a dry or sticky feeling in your mouth
Feeling weak, lethargic, or sleepy without cause
Dizziness or a lightheaded sensation
Decreased need to urinate
Reduced sweat and tear production
A sense of confusion or disorientation
Other symptoms of more severe dehydration include:
Eyes that appear sunken
Lower than normal blood pressure
A shriveled texture to the skin
A quick skin test can give you an idea if you’re getting enough fluid. Pinch the skin on your wrist using your thumb and forefinger. If the skin remains peaked, rather than falling back into place quickly, you may be experiencing a degree of dehydration.
Simple Hydration Tips for Seniors
These hydration tips will help you achieve your ideal fluid intake each day this summer:
Unless you’re extremely active and spending a lot of time outside, you probably don’t need to change how much fluid you need from one season to the next to achieve proper hydration. Your doctor may have specific guidance, but generally, this is about six to eight glasses per day.
Water is the best source of hydration, in large part because it delivers fluid without any added calories or additives you don’t need.
Not everyone likes plain water and for some people, plain water causes an upset stomach. If that’s the case, try mixing in a little of your favorite fruit juice for flavor (stick to a ratio of no more than half to keep calories low).
Another way to enjoy more water is by infusing it with flavor. Special pitchers with infuser inserts allow you to transfer subtle flavors of natural ingredients for a delicious and refreshing drink. Berries and citrus are tasty options, and many people enjoy adding herbs or other flavorings like chunks of coconut. Cucumber and mint is another mouthwatering flavor combo that’s perfect for cooling off on a hot summer day.
After exercising, you may want to replenish your electrolytes more rapidly. During the summer months, it’s a good idea to keep an electrolyte replenisher (like apple juice, Pedialyte or Gatorade) in the refrigerator so you have a cool drink readily available to help support your recovery.
You can also increase your fluid intake with the foods you eat. Soup can be a good source of hydration, but in the heat of the summer, you may prefer other foods with high water content, like watermelon and other melons, strawberries, pineapple, cucumber, and tomatoes and lettuce, to name a few.
Avoid liquids that are diuretics or dehydrators, like coffee or wine. In the summer, when the risk of dehydration is greater, try to limit yourself to one cup of coffee per day. Be sure to offset any diuretics, like coffee, by drinking at least one glass of water.
A final tip for staying hydrated in summer: Minimize the dehydrating effects of the summer heat by avoiding spending time outdoors during the heat of the day. That’s when risks of heat stroke or sun sickness are highest, so exercise during cooler times, like first in the morning or in the evening.
More Resources for Better Health
Keeping well hydrated is just one way to protect your health and wellness. Our communities offer an array of programs and resources to help residents Live Life WellⓇ.