Healthy Hydration For The Elderly The Need-2-Know On H2O

Water covers 70% of the Earth’s surface and makes up 70-80% of our bodies -- even our bones are over 20% water! “Water, water everywhere…” but sadly, dehydration in the elderly is very common and very dangerous.
A 2007 Australian study found that older adults don’t drink enough water and become dehydrated during heat waves, proposing that their brains and bodies don’t properly coordinate thirst signals. While the researchers aren’t sure whether the body is ineffectively sending these signals -- due to weakened stomach muscles, reduced throat sensitivity or diminished kidney function -- or whether the brain is ineffectively interpreting them.  Regardless of the causes, this finding is important because it puts elderly hydration at the forefront of senior health.

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With the hot days of summer approaching- keeping our elderly hydrated becomes critically important.  Often an acute illness affects the ability of an elderly client or resident to keep up with the demands of sufficient water intake by mouth and rehydration via another means become necessary.  Anyone who has attempted an IV catheter insertion on an elderly dehydrated patient KNOWS the frustration and often the impossibility of the task. Due to the fact of very difficult cannulations in dehydrated individuals, we are seeing a resurgence of an old technique of rehydration called hypodermoclysis or sometimes simply called “clysis”.  The technique is a valuable strategy for SNF’s and home health agencies to reduce unnecessary hospitalizations – a major focus in the health care industry today.