When caregiving for your loved one, it feels like there are a million details to remember for their daily routine. From exercise to medication to meals, each step in the day is carefully thought through to ensure their well-being. We know how difficult it can be at times to ensure everything runs smoothly, so when little worries, such as potential dehydration, comes to mind, it can be overwhelming.
Here at Home Instead, we want to make drinking proper fluids one less thing you have to worry about. While dehydration can be a large cause of concern for health conditions, taking the right steps and thinking creatively ensures fluid intake is just a small add-on to the schedule.
I’ve been dehydrated before… is it a huge concern for my loved one?
The vast majority of us have experienced some form of dehydration in our lives, whether it be on a minor or major level. One thing we all have in common during this uncomfortable situation is a desire to drink fluids to combat dehydration as quickly as possible. This is because of a water and sodium imbalance occurring in our bodies that notifies the brain to cue a thirst sensation.
As we naturally age, our water and sodium balance changes, making it harder for the body to know when it’s time to drink more fluids. Although no one means to become dehydrated, your loved ones in care have more difficulty deciphering if their body actually needs the water.
Especially out loved ones with dementia they may not remember that they haven’t had anything to drink all day, they may have difficultly communicating or realizing that they need something to drink.
Although the levels of severity can vary, prolonged dehydration stops a lot of essential functions from continuing in the body. From head to toe and every cell in between, your loved ones body needs fluids to ensure their health stays well, healthy.
How do I get my loved one to drink more fluids?
Encouraging your loved ones to drink more fluids can at times feel frustrating. Although you know it’s best for them to combat dehydration, their bodies are not giving signals to want it.
The first step our Care Pros encourage whenever adding an increased fluid intake to the routine is offering options. Water, herbal teas, and diluted fruit juices are a great place to start and begin to put habits in place.
Another way to make drinking fluids a better experience is by experimenting with different temperatures. We all like our drinks a certain way and your loved ones are the same! By figuring out their tastes, it will be easier to encourage drinking fluids more frequently.
Don’t go for those giant water bottles or giant water mugs. Those are great for your own fluid intake and goal setting, but for those who aren’t on an internal challenge to “drink more water” they can be overwhelming and unappealing. Go for smaller, more manageable sized cups. Do not use cups with multi steps to open. Try to look for cups that have different colored lids to the straw and cup. Look for cups with handles. Try different cups like: wine glasses, their favorite coffee mug, cups from their favorite places to get a drink (like starbucks or dutch), even beer steins! Be fun about it.
Try putting the cups in front of them in their line of sight, instead of to the side. Don’t ask “do you want a drink” ..instead hand them a cup and say “cheers”.
To increase the desire to drink even more, drink more water too! As humans we pick up on learned behavior, so your spike in fluid intake will actively help theirs too.
If encouraging fluids is more of a challenge than you expected you can also encourage water rich food like watermelon, cantaloupe, oranges, strawberries, lettuce, soups, grapes, celery, cucumber.
My loved one drinks fluids… how do I know if it’s enough?
Trying to understand your loved one’s internal needs is one of the most difficult guessing games you can do. While it can never be 100% clear their fluid intake is combating dehydration without a doctor giving the thumbs up, here are a few warning signs to be wary of:
- Dark urine color
- Dry lips or mouth
- Consistent fatigue or confusion
No matter if the signs of dehydration feel small, you know your loved one best. If there is any cause for you to feel concerned, do not hesitate to reach out to healthcare professionals for further assistance.
Is there a way to make drinking fluids easier in our daily routine?
Absolutely! Our biggest tip is to stack drinking fluids with another step in your routine and track it. Depending on the support around you assisting in caregiving needs, keeping everyone in the loop on intake levels is essential to avoid dehydration altogether.
At Home Instead, we utilize The Honor Care Platform, which creates complete communication between our Care Pros and your family. Specific tasks, fluid intake being one of the most common, can be logged into the daily schedule making it simple for everyone to care for your loved one in the way they deserve. Care Pros complete a daily wellness check at each visit and you will be able to see those listed at the end of each shift in your app.
Of all the daily steps in your loved ones routine, hydration should be as stress-free as possible. By testing out a few of our tips to see what works best, the beginning stages of a routine can be put into place. As always, if there is any help we can provide for your caregiving needs, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Home Instead.
