Dehydration in nursing homes: Why is the risk of dehydration so high?

Dehydration in nursing homes:

Two-thirds of the body is composed of water. This means that for a weight of approximately 70 kilos, the human body contains approximately 46 liters of water. Nearly 70% of the water is contained within the cells, 20% in the space surrounding the cells, and just under 10% in the bloodstream. Water is essential for maintaining the body's health.

When the amount of water consumed matches the amount excreted, the body's water reserves are well balanced. If you are healthy and do not sweat excessively, you should drink at least 2 to 3 liters of fluids per day (about 8 glasses of water) to maintain your fluid balance and protect yourself from certain complications, such as the formation of kidney stones.

Dehydration can occur when the body's water supply is insufficient.

Dehydration is not strictly speaking a "disease," but a physiological condition with more or less significant consequences. This physiological condition results from a significant decrease in fluid within the body. Dehydration can be due to malnutrition, severe diarrhea, or heat, especially in summer. This fluid, in a lower than normal quantity, in the case of dehydration, is mainly composed of water and mineral salts.

Dehydration can affect anyone, but special care should be taken with the elderly. These individuals do not experience the symptoms of dehydration and therefore do not appreciate the risks associated with this condition.

Causes of dehydration:

Vomiting , diarrhea, excessive sweating, burns, kidney failure and the use of diuretics can cause dehydration...

Diarrhea, the main consequence of dehydration , is caused by:

● a lack of hygiene within nursing homes.

● malnutrition, particularly with regard to “water-rich” foods.

● contact and/or hydration with contaminated water.

When diarrhea is not treated immediately, it can be dangerous. Indeed, the loss of water and mineral salts can have significant consequences on the body's functioning (vital organs, muscles, brain, etc.), especially in the elderly, whose bodies are weakened.

In practice, diarrhea is defined as more than three loose or liquid stools per day. Other symptoms may include nausea and/or vomiting, abdominal pain (cramps), and even fever. Sometimes, excessive fluid loss may occur, associated with significant dehydration and electrolyte loss (sodium, potassium, magnesium, chlorine), or even vascular collapse.

Diarrhea is most often benign, and can also occur during winter epidemics of acute viral gastroenteritis, intestinal damage, etc. But medications, bacteria, viruses, other parasites and poisoning in general are also responsible for acute diarrhea, which must sometimes be taken seriously if it lasts more than 3 to 4 days, is accompanied by blood and mucus, a fever above 39°C or dehydration.

This state of dehydration can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender, or even where they live. However, the elderly are a category of people to be considered with greater attention. Indeed, when it comes to older people, they sometimes have more difficulty hydrating regularly, especially during periods of extreme heat. In this sense, promoting hydration in this category of people is essential.

Certain medications and treatments can worsen dehydration-exhaustion syndrome, according to the French National Agency for the Safety of Medicines (ANSM). People with chronic illnesses and the elderly are particularly affected. According to doctors, severe dehydration can lead to serious consequences, including death.

Symptoms of dehydration:

 

Dehydration is evident through certain specific signs, including:

● less need to urinate;

● the absence of tears;

● dry tongue, lips and skin;

● “grayish” skin;

● a depression in the fontanelle (soft part of the infant's skull);

Diarrhea and vomiting are the most demonstrative signs.

Other symptoms may also accompany this diarrheal condition: fever, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, stomach aches or evenabdominal cramps .

The presence of blood in the stool indicates significant dehydration; this is the most alarming condition.

Lack of hydration affects the skin's texture and elasticity. When the body senses a water shortage, it is withdrawn from the skin to allow other organs to function. This makes the skin feel tight and can make it feel cool and clammy.

Another warning sign is urine. For example, the color itself tells you a lot about your body's hydration status. Dark or honey-colored urine is a sign of possible dehydration. Urine is made up of both water and waste products that need to be eliminated from the body. In a well-hydrated body, urine turns pale yellow and is odorless. Infrequent urination can also indicate dehydration, as mentioned above.

How to prevent and treat dehydration in elderly people in nursing homes?

To avoid worsening dehydration, it is important to continue to drink plenty of water, i.e. around 1.5 litres of water per day. In the case of diarrhoea, hygiene must be even more careful to limit contamination of those around you and the transmission of germs responsible for this condition: hand washing, disinfection of toilets after use, door handles, etc. Doctors in nursing homes can also study the renal function of elderly people to ensure that their kidneys are functioning adequately or not.

Hydratis can help seniors optimize water absorption, prevent dehydration and ensure rehydration .

Indeed, Hydratis 50+ solutions, adapted to a senior public, allow water to be better absorbed by the body and thus to have accelerated hydration. In addition, with its formulation rich in mineral salts, such as magnesium as well as trace elements such as manganese and zinc, they improve the body's protection mechanisms, meet the physiological needs of seniors and prevent and relieve the symptoms of dehydration. It is a real support for the metabolism which is put to the test in the elderly.