Health Advice from Alfi - Autumn / Winter 2014 Autumn / Winter | Page 6

Hydration Tips
for the Elderly

'It's good practice to keep
a water bottle next to the
bed or chair to encourage
regular drinking.'

5 | Autumn Winter 2014

Keeping a careful eye out for any signs of illness
is both important and challenging. There are some
illnesses that will show their face early and clearly
demonstrate what they are, but then there are
some that have a subtle but significant effect on
day-to-day life. Although it's dependent on the
severity, dehydration can sometimes produce only
minuscule telltale signs whilst forcing significant
pressure on the body - especially in elderly people.
When a person loses more water than they are
taking in, it's known as dehydration. All humans
must consume an adequate quantity of fluid to
maintain proper bodily functions. A few examples
include maintaining blood pressure, regulating
body temperature via sweating and eliminating
bodily waste. If it becomes severe, dehydration can
result in weakness, confusion, pneumonia, urinary
tract infections (UTIs), bedsores and a long list of
complications.
To avoid suffering dehydration, we must all
ensure that we consume the proper amount of
fluids during the day, and that we’ve eaten plenty
of healthy, high water content foods like vegetables
and fruit. It's also a good idea to check our urine
colour - if it's dark or infrequent then that's a classic
sign of dehydration. Other warning signs include
decreased salivation, dry mouth, sunken eyes, a loss
of skin elasticity and a rapid pulse.
It's incredibly important for elderly people or
their carers to know how much they should drink
to stay hydrated, even if they aren't thirsty. It's

good practice to keep a water bottle next to the
bed or chair to encourage regular drinking. This
is particularly true for an individual with mobility
issues, if it's not as easy for them or not possible at
all for them to get their own drink when required.
If a urinary tract infection (UTI) is present then it's
good to sip water frequently throughout the day.
This can have a very beneficial impact on a UTI, and
hydration is one of the primary factors in treating
the illness. Having good fluid consumption is great
for your body and will assist in diluting and flushing
out the bacteria that are causing the urinary tract
infection. Drinking a fluid that contains vitamin
C (although citrus fruit should be avoided with
UTI) will be even more helpful to those with UTIs,
because it has the ability to prevent bacteria from
taking hold.
It's best not to drink any caffeine drinks, as they
can make a urinary tract infection much worse. The
same applies for alcohol - as it dehydrates the body,
resulting in a lingering UTI.
As is true for the vast majority of illnesses,
prevention is better than cure. Everyone should
do their best to stay hydrated and look out for
signs of dehydration. This can be tricky, especially
as we get older, as the brain's regulator for the
thirst-response begins to weaken and as a result
we don't feel thirsty as much as we should. In these
circumstances, it is vital that hydration is monitored
regularly.
Alfi Telehealth equipment can help people do a
range of personal health checks from the comfort
of their own home and connects them directly to
health professionals if something is wrong. The Alfi
Mobile Monitor will prompt customers when they
may need to use their urine analyser to prevent
urinary tract infections.
For more information about Alfi Telehealth, visit
www.myalfi.com/telehealth or call 01872 324 950.
Autumn Winter 2014 | 6