Here we go again! We just posted several days of 90 + degrees and summer is still three weeks away. Now is the time to pay close attention to our aging friends and relatives. They are more prone to become dehydrated and will often forget to drink enough to prevent problems. Of course, it is not uncommon for them to restrict water because they don't want to need the bathroom all that frequently. They are also at risk to not notice the signs of dehydration until they are really in trouble.
My best trick for getting them to drink enough liquid is to find a particular glass and give them specific instructions to drink 3 or 4 glasses full from that glass. The number of times that they should fill the glass each day is calculated to give them at least 32 ounces of water each day. This water in addition to the liquid in their food and taken with meals will help them to stay hydrated.
Notice that you need to keep hydrated yourself. Drink water, juice, milk or soda to keep up your hydration. Avoid caffeine because it pushes your kidneys to put out more liquid and you will be defeating your purpose. Alcoholic beverages should also be avoided because they will also interfere with staying hydrated.
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