The Risk of Dehydration at Nursing Homes
Nursing homes are experiencing a serious dehydration problem. More than 50% of nursing home patients are prone to dehydration and orally drinking water alone is not enough to keep them hydrated. Hydration (or the absorption of water into the cells) needs electrolytes, but some patients are unable to get them from the water they drink.
Drinking even 5% less water can cause dehydration, known as the dehydration cascade. This happens when water moves into the bloodstream from the organs to balance out the extracellular fluid, leading to changing moods, feelings of fatigue, and problems with cognitive functions. The patients can then be less willing to take care of themselves and require interventions to help them with their worsening health.
Plasma osmolality shows that more than 50% of nursing home residents can be considered dehydrated or severely dehydrated. Dehydration in nursing homes can be associated with poor patient outcomes, mostly affecting those in the hydration gap. This leads to increased risks for falls and longer recovery time at hospitals. Certain medications and blood conditions can exacerbate the effects of dehydration as well.
Many who are dehydrated don’t know they are, but some signs can help determine if help is needed. These include cognitive decline, salt loss, lower urine concentration ability, and declining thirst signals. Today, a solution in the form of micronutrient supplementation can help fight the hydration gap by giving the body the micronutrients it needs to stay hydrated. With micronutrient supplementation, nutrition instead of medication can help the body rebalance intracellular fluid, adjust the baseline for sustained oral hydration, and reduce the risk of cognitive decline, fixing the hydration gap.
Source: DriptIV.com