Did you know that at least 50% of nursing home patients are struggling with dehydration? Many struggle to get hydrated by just drinking water. Hydration involves the absorption of vitamins and minerals, which some patients cannot get from water or food. Drinking even a little less water can lead to the dehydration cascade where water moves out of the organs into the bloodstream to make up for the lack of extracellular fluid, which can affect a patient’s mood, energy levels, and cognition, furthermore resulting in reduced participation in many aspects of their lives and eventually leading to serious health risks.
The dehydration cascade impacts nursing homes by being more likely to happen to patients in the hydration gap, creating greater risk for falls and consequently leading to longer periods in the hospital for recovery as well as higher mortality rates. Dehydration in nursing homes can be further aggravated by medications and blood conditions. It’s possible for patients to be unaware that they are dehydrated, but there are signs you can look out for. These include kidney decline, salt loss, cognitive decline, and physical markers.
Many veteran clinicians are working to develop science-backed treatments that can help close the hydration gap, one of which is micronutrient supplementation. It allows the body to gain the key micronutrients it needs to improve dehydration while also helping with other issues such as chronic wounds, nutrition, and infection. Nursing homes are currently struggling with the dehydration problem, but we can fight it by using micronutrient supplementation.
Source: DriptIV.com
