Tuesday, July 10, 2007 Make life easier for older persons -- give them water
WATER is life. The need for water intake is great among older persons. In an article on "Nutritional Requirements and Physiological Changes in Aging" by Dr. Chernoff thirst and fluid requirements among this segment of the population were given equal importance as energy and nutrient requirements. Water plays a significant role on the maintenance of body functions, transport of nutrients, and waste removal. As 50% of an adult body weight is water, reduction in water volume or dehydration will cause cells to shrink and die. Water maintains health and aids in the treatment of diseases.
Apparently, not all the older persons have access to water. Things that may contribute to decreased accessibility to water are voluntary water restriction due to problems of frequent urination (incontinence); difficulty in mobility, e.g. the old person is bed-ridden or tied to a wheelchair; or he has diminished thirst sensitivity. Reduced thirst in the older persons may predispose them to severe dehydration, impairment of cognition (or poorer mental function), and additional water loss.
Among the risk factors for dehydration in the older persons are (a) laxative abuse (that older persons probably take due to constipation problems); (b) diuretic abuse (that may occur with intake or prescription drugs for cardiovascular diseases); (c) occasions of depressions (that older persons may experience unnoticed by other household members); (d) dependence on tube or parenteral feeding (on occasions of illness when oral feeding is hindered; (e) use of multiple medications; and (f) when the older person has a chronic infection.
Telltale signs of dehydration in older adults are: drying of the eyes; swollen tongue; sunken eyeballs; elevated body temperature; and decreased urine volume. Dehydration can also bring about constipation, nausea and vomiting, decreased blood pressure, mental confusion, and fluid and electrolyte disturbances. As quality of life for the older persons depends to a large extent on the individual's capacity for physical mobility, mental alertness, and cognitive function, "conscious" provision of fluids to them could very well serve its purpose.
So if your lolo or lola is starting to show any of these telltale signs, do "give them a few words of advice" - or better still, give them water!
Like in most of the younger adults and under normal health conditions, a minimum intake of 1.5 liters or 7-8 glasses of water per day is considered sufficient to prevent dehydration for most of the older persons.
The recommended dietary allowances (RDA) of Filipinos for specific nutrients are currently undergoing revisions with the Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology as the lead agency. On the top nine nutrients and some electrolytes, the need for water was given emphasis and thus, fluid requirements are discussed separately. For more information, you may contact FNRI-Dost at 837-20-71 local 2281 or 837-81-14 local 306. (FNRI-Dost)
