Effective hydration care for older people living in care homes

Bunn, Diane, Jimoh, Oluseyi ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4296-2729, Karrouze, Irene, Wyatt, Kate and Hooper, Lee ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7904-3331 (2019) Effective hydration care for older people living in care homes. Nursing Times, 115 (9). pp. 54-58. ISSN 0954-7762

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Abstract

Low-intake dehydration is common in all older people because of age-related physical, physiological, cognitive and psychological changes. Risk of dehydration increases in care home residents because of increased need for care and dependence on staff for drinks or help with drinking. Commonly-used signs and symptoms of dehydration are ineffective in identifying dehydration in older people, so should not be used, because they may lead to inappropriate care. Low-intake dehydration can only be diagnosed using directly measured serum osmolality or calculated osmolarity, both of which require venous blood samples. Therefore, preventing low-intake dehydration is key, and all older people should be supported to drink well using a range of strategies based on person-centred approaches to individualised care, by staff trained in hydration care. Individualised approaches include offering preferred drinks more often during the day, using residents’ preferred cups/glasses, increasing drinks intake with medications, drinks before breakfast and supporting excellent continence care.

Item Type: Article
Additional Information: Early Title: Signs and symptoms of dehydration do not work in older people living in care homes, so supporting residents to drink well is crucial
Uncontrolled Keywords: aged,dehydration,drinking,screening tests
Faculty \ School: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > School of Health Sciences
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Norwich Medical School
UEA Research Groups: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Groups > Health Promotion
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Groups > Public Health and Health Services Research (former - to 2023)
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Groups > Health Services and Primary Care
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Groups > Epidemiology and Public Health
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Groups > UEA Hydrate Group
Faculty of Social Sciences > Research Centres > Water Security Research Centre
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Centres > Population Health
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Centres > Lifespan Health
Related URLs:
Depositing User: LivePure Connector
Date Deposited: 18 Jul 2019 08:30
Last Modified: 19 Oct 2023 02:29
URI: https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/71777
DOI:

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