It’s getting hot out there!
Hydration is critical for good health. Individuals with Alzheimer’s disease don’t always recognize their own signs of thirst, they may have difficulty organizing the task of “getting something to drink”, or they may forget to drink entirely.
In the hot weather, making sure your loved one is having enough to drink everyday is an especially important part of caregiving. Here are some easy suggestions to ensure just that!
- Fill a pitcher of water each morning and be sure that it has been consumed by evening time.
- Set a daily drinking schedule. Have a beverage after your daily walk, while reading the newspaper, between each meal and after working in the garden. You get the picture!
- Share a cool drink together in the shade. Drinking together enables you to monitor fluid intake and your company creates a social feeling, long recognized as a time to eat and have a drink.
- Be creative: mix seltzer water with a little juice for a new taste, add lemon or fruit slices to a glass of water, taste test some new herbal iced teas, eat popsicles and recall treasured childhood summer memories.
- Share a treat. Make an ice cream soda or root beer float together. Both count towards hydration; just don’t have them as your only source of fluid for the day.
- Purchase a reusable water container for each of you and then keep them with you throughout the day. When you have a drink, be sure your loved one does too!
Be aware of signs of dehydration, which include thirst, fatigue, confusion, headache or dizziness.
