Insights from The Orlando Senior Help Desk: Dehydration is a great risk for seniors

Dehydration is dangerous no matter what your age, but seniors are at a greater risk for dehydration than other age groups. Dehydration happens when you don’t drink enough water. When your body’s water content is too low, it causes damage quickly. Dehydration is especially prevalent on hot days or after vigorous exercise. Mild or moderate dehydration is easy to recover from, but severe dehydration requires immediate medical attention. 

Risks for senior dehydration include:

Diarrhea and vomiting — In addition to losing fluids, your body’s electrolytes and minerals are quickly depleted

Fever — High fevers quickly lead to dehydration. The higher the fever, the faster you become dehydrated.

Excessive sweating — If you don’t replace the fluids lost while sweating, you can become dehydrated. Don’t wait to replace fluids at the end of a workout or strenuous activity. Instead, drink a little water all along to avoid severe dehydration.

Increased urination — Diabetes that isn’t yet diagnosed or controlled through diet or medication can lead to passing more urine and depleting your water supply.

Signs of dehydration include:

Feeling unquenchable thirst

Few or no tears

Dry, sticky mouth

Not urinating frequently

Dark-colored urine

Unexplained tiredness

Feeling dizzy or lightheaded

Confusion

Black stool

Call your doctor immediately if you experience any of these symptoms:

Diarrhea or vomiting that lasts longer than 24 hours, feeling irritable and disoriented, sleepier than usual without reason, inability to keep fluids down.

While most seniors face major adjustments when transitioning to an elder-care community, Jewish seniors face additional challenges. Not only do they lose their homes, and many of their friends, but they also lose ties to their cultural heritage. This is where the Jewish Pavilion, a 501c3 non-profit, steps in. The Pavilion serves as a resource that provides room visits, festive holiday celebrations, and more to 450 Jewish residents in fifty facilities for seniors. The Jewish Pavilion promotes inclusion, and thousands of seniors of all faiths are welcomed into our programs. http://www.JewishPavilion.org

The Orlando Senior Help Desk (407-678-9363) helps thousands of callers navigate their way through the daunting senior maze, alleviating caregiver stress while giving advice on all types of elder issues. http://www.OrlandoSeniorHelpDesk.org.