A rising issue today is dehydration in nursing homes. Many can’t get the hydration they need by just drinking water. Electrolytes enter our cells when we consume water, but people in the hydration gap have difficulty doing so, such as those with malnutrition risks, wounds, and infections. Even 5% less water intake can cause dehydration or the dehydration cascade. This is when the body tries to balance extracellular fluid by moving water out of the organs and into the bloodstream, leading to changes in mood, increased fatigue, and problems with cognition that could further result in a lack of desire to be around others and worsening health outcomes.
Dehydration may seem like an easy problem to fix, but there is a great number of nursing home residents who are either considered dehydrated or severely dehydrated that needs to be considered. Dehydration can result in poor patient outcomes that affects patients in the hydration gap the most, increasing the risks for serious injuries that will require long hospital stays and greater mortality rates.
Dehydration can be made worse for those taking certain medications or who have special blood conditions. It might also be hard for nursing home patients to know if they are dehydrated and need help, but there are signs that they and loved ones can look out for. These include declining cognitive abilities, body indicators, salt loss, and the weakening ability of the kidneys to flush out urine without requiring larger amounts of water.
However, clinicians are working hard to develop treatments that will help those in the hydration gap, one of which is micronutrient supplementation. It helps the body get the important micronutrients they need to avoid dehydration while also fixing the intracellular fluid balance and baseline for oral hydration. With micronutrient supplementation, those struggling with dehydration can improve their condition through nutrition instead of medication.
Source: DriptIV.com