Keep hydrated for good health
Now that summer’s here and the temperatures are increasing it’s important to stay hydrated. Making sure you drink enough water is an essential for staying healthy and feeling well.
However, as we get older, we often don't drink as much water as we should. Some of this is because as we get older the sensation of thirst changes. This can mean we don’t feel thirsty even though we’re not drinking enough. Dehydration can contribute to premature deaths and years of reduced quality of life.
Those who suffer from dementia or Alzheimer's are particularly susceptible to becoming dehydrated. Someone with dementia may experience similar changes and their level of dehydration is exacerbated because they may be less able or likely to get themselves a drink.
Tackling Dehydration in Dementia
One innovation that’s being supported by the Alzheimer’s Society is a product called Jelly Drops. These are sweets containing 90 per cent water that can keep people with dementia hydrated. Jelly Drops were invented by Lewis Hornby after his grandmother with dementia was sadly hospitalised with dehydration. Lewis went on to develop this innovative solution inspired by his grandmother. You can find out more about the product at www.jellydrops.com
How much water you drink in middle age seems to have an impact on the risk of developing heart disease in later life. Studies at National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute have shown that maintaining good hydration can prevent or at least slow down the changes within the heart that lead to heart failure, so it's important to take action if we find that we drink too little.
If drinking just water isn’t appealing, the NHS have some good ideas for increasing your fluid intake on their Eat Well website. The good news is, provided you take your coffee or tea without sugar, that counts to your fluid intake too!
