How Much Water Should Your Senior Drink Each Day?

Drinking the right amount of water every day is a lot more important than your senior might realize. Dehydration is a huge problem for older adults and it’s much easier for your senior to become dehydrated.

Why Is Water So Important?

The human body is mostly water, so when your senior isn’t getting enough water every day, she’s more likely to develop health issues. The right amount of water helps to flush waste through her body and helps to regulate her body temperature. Water is also crucial for keeping joints and muscles lubricated and moving freely. Without enough water, your senior’s organs start to suffer and her overall health can fail quickly.

Water Intake Recommendations

Most people are familiar with the recommendation to drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day. That’s a basic guideline, but other recommendations can suggest a range anywhere from 11 to 15 cups of water per day, depending on gender. That’s a lot of water to just start drinking, so it’s always a good idea for your senior to gradually increase her water intake. Keeping track of water intake might be easier with home care assistance during the day.

Water from Other Sources

The good news is that your elderly family member does take in water from other things, like the food that she eats. This is another reason that having a diet high in fruits and vegetables can be beneficial. Many foods, like melons, berries, and leafy greens, are high in water content. Eating plenty of broth-based soups regularly can also help with water intake. Elder care services can be helpful if your elderly family member needs assistance with eating healthier meals more often.

Your Senior May Need More or Less Water

Ultimately, your senior may need more or less water than the average general recommendations. It’s an excellent idea to work with your senior’s doctor to come to a more customized recommendation that takes her health and needs into account. Once she has a goal in mind, it’s easier to come up with possible solutions to help her to meet that goal. Home care assistance can remind your senior throughout the day to sip water while helping her in other ways, for instance. Finding ways to gamify water intake can help quite a bit.

Getting enough water on a regular basis can do a lot to improve how your senior feels and how her body functions. She may be surprised just how much better she feels when she’s properly hydrated.

If you or an aging loved one is considering home care assistance in Walnut Creek, CA, please contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Walnut Creek. (925) 203-3039.