Dehydration in nursing homes: Why is the risk of dehydration so high?

Dehydration in EHPAD:

Two-thirds of the body is composed of water. This means that for a weight of about 70 kilos, the human body contains about 46 liters of water. Nearly 70% of the water is contained in the cells, 20% in the space surrounding the cells and just under 10% in the bloodstream. Water is essential for maintaining the health of the body.

When the amount of water you consume matches the amount you excrete, your body's water reserves are well balanced. If you are healthy and do not sweat excessively, you should drink at least 2 to 3 liters of fluids per day (about 8 glasses of water) to maintain your fluid balance and protect yourself from certain complications, such as kidney stones.

Dehydration can occur when the body's water supply is insufficient.

Dehydration is not “an illness” strictly speaking, it is a physiological state with more or less significant consequences. This physiological state then results from a significant decrease in fluid within the body. Dehydration can be due to malnutrition, severe diarrhea or because of the heat, especially in summer. This fluid, in a quantity lower than normal, in the case of a state of dehydration, is essentially composed of water and mineral salts.

Dehydration can affect anyone, but special attention should be paid to the elderly. In fact, these people do not feel the symptoms of dehydration and therefore do not appreciate the risks associated with this condition.

Causes of dehydration:

Vomiting, diarrhea, excessive sweating, heartburn, kidney failure and the use of diuretics can cause dehydration…

Diarrhea, the main consequence of dehydration, is caused by:

● a lack of hygiene within EHPADs.

● malnutrition, particularly with regard to “water-rich” foods.

● contact and/or hydration with contaminated water.

When diarrhea is not treated immediately, it can be dangerous. In fact, the loss of water and mineral salts can have significant consequences on the functioning of the body (vital organs, muscles, brain, etc.), and even more so in the elderly, whose body is weakened.

In practice, we speak of diarrhea when there are more than 3 loose or liquid stools per day. Other signs may be associated: nausea and/or vomiting, abdominal pain (cramps), or even fever. Sometimes there may be an excessive loss of fluids, associated with significant dehydration and electrolyte loss (sodium, potassium, magnesium, chlorine), or even vascular collapse.

Diarrhea is most often benign, and can also occur during winter epidemics of acute viral gastroenteritis, intestinal damage, etc. But medications, bacteria, viruses, other parasites and poisoning in general are also responsible for acute diarrhea that must sometimes be taken seriously, when it lasts more than 3 to 4 days, is accompanied by blood and phlegm, a fever above 39°C or dehydration.

This state of dehydration can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender or place of residence. However, the elderly are a category of people to be considered with more attention. Indeed, as far as the elderly are concerned, they sometimes have more difficulty hydrating regularly, especially during periods of high heat. In this sense, promoting hydration in this category of people is essential.

Some medications and treatments are likely to aggravate exhaustion-dehydration syndrome, according to the French National Agency for the Safety of Medicines (ANSM). People with chronic diseases and the elderly are the first to be affected. According to doctors, a state of severe dehydration can lead to serious consequences, including death.

Symptoms of dehydration:

 

Dehydration is apparent through certain specific signs, including:

● reduced need to urinate;

● absence of tears;

● dry tongue, lips and skin;

● “grayish” skin;

● a sunken fontanelle (soft part of the infant's skull);

Diarrhea and vomiting are the most demonstrative signs.

Other symptoms may also accompany this diarrheal state: fever, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, stomach aches or evenabdominal cramps .

The presence of blood in the stool indicates significant dehydration, this is the most alarming condition.

Lack of hydration affects the texture and elasticity of the skin. When the body senses a shortage of water, it is taken from the skin to allow other organs to function. This makes the skin tight and can make it feel cool and clammy.

Another warning sign is urine. For example, the color already says a lot about the hydration status of your body. Dark or honey-colored urine is a sign of possible dehydration. Urine consists of both water and waste products that need to be eliminated by the body. In a well-hydrated body, urine turns pale yellow and is odorless. Urinating infrequently can also indicate dehydration as mentioned above.

How to prevent and treat dehydration in elderly people in nursing homes?

In order to avoid worsening dehydration, it is important to continue to drink plenty of water, i.e. around 1.5 L of water per day. In the event of diarrhea, hygiene must be even more careful to limit contamination of those around you and the transmission of germs responsible for this condition: hand washing, disinfecting toilets after use, door handles, etc. Doctors in nursing homes can also study the renal function of elderly people to ensure that their kidneys are functioning adequately or not.

Hydratis can help seniors optimize water absorption, prevent dehydration and ensure rehydration .

Indeed, Hydratis 50+ solutions, adapted to a senior public, allow water to be better absorbed by the body and thus to have accelerated hydration. In addition, with its formulation rich in mineral salts, such as magnesium as well as trace elements such as manganese and zinc, they improve the body's protection mechanisms, meet the physiological needs of seniors and prevent and relieve the symptoms of dehydration. It is a real support for the metabolism which is put to the test in the elderly.