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Dehydration can happen quicker than you think and can cause damage before you have a chance to rehydrate. Learn the signs of dehydration and how you can prevent it from happening to you.
Below are some of the most common causes of dehydration in older adults: Heat exposure. Spending time in hot or humid conditions can lead to increased fluid loss through sweating. Illness....
As you get older, your sense of thirst is blunted, so you may not recognize your body’s need for fluids, says Ardeshir Hashmi, M.D., section chief of the Center for Geriatric Medicine at Cleveland Clinic. “On a warm or hot day, without even sensing it, you’re losing a ton of fluid,” he says.
The most common cause of dehydration in young children is severe diarrhea and vomiting. Older adults naturally have a lower volume of water in their bodies, and may have conditions or take medications that increase the risk of dehydration.
Discover why dehydration in elderly people is a common, but preventable, problem. Learn why the consequences of being dehydrated become more serious as we age. Read tips on staying hydrated (even if you don't like to drink plain water). Plus, find out how to treat dehydration and when to seek help.
Older adults are at a greater risk for dehydration because of how body composition changes with age. Those in the 65-and-older crowd simply have less water in their bodies than younger adults or children. Decreased kidney function also can affect fluid levels.
Older adults have reduced thirst signals and also become less able to concentrate their urine. Other factors that put older adults at risk include: Dehydration can also be brought on by an acute illness or other event. Vomiting, diarrhea, fever, and infection are all problems that can cause people to lose a lot of fluid and become dehydrated.
Dehydration affects 20% to 30% of older adults and is usually caused by insufficient water intake. It may also be caused by excess water loss through diarrhea, vomiting, sweating, high fever, or side effects from medication.
Dehydration is a condition that occurs when the body’s water supply is depleted without it being replenished. It may seem like a small problem to younger adults, but it is a commonly overlooked problem among seniors that consequently creates other health concerns. The elderly frequently do not consume adequate fluids (8).
Risk factors like diabetes or kidney diseases, which are prevalent among seniors, can also contribute to rapid fluid loss. Recognizing these factors and working to stop dehydration before it happens, is key.