Staying hydrated is essential to health and well-being, especially for seniors with diabetes. Dehydration can lead to a variety of dangerous symptoms such as confusion, dizziness, nausea, headaches, hypotension (low blood pressure), and more—all of which can be life-threatening in elderly individuals. Diabetic seniors, in particular, often struggle to stay properly hydrated. Fortunately, they and their caregivers can take action to help them stay better hydrated and maintain overall health.
What Is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic condition that impacts your body's ability to process sugar and utilize insulin. This can lead to an abnormal rise in one's blood sugar level, a dangerous situation that must be monitored regularly through the use of diets, medications, and/or insulin treatments.
How Does It Affect Fluid Levels?
When a person has diabetes, their body's fluid balance can often become disrupted due to fluctuations in their blood sugar levels. Hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) leads to frequent urination as the kidneys try to eliminate excess glucose from the bloodstream. High blood sugar levels can, as a result, lead to dehydration when seniors do not consume enough water to allow for that elimination.
Why Do Diabetic Seniors Struggle to Stay Hydrated?
There are several reasons why diabetic seniors struggle to stay hydrated. The first is difficulty monitoring blood sugar levels, as it can be difficult for an elderly person to recognize when their blood sugar isn't where it should be. Poor diet and medication side effects can further complicate this situation, often leading to a cascade of problems that make staying properly hydrated even more challenging. Lastly, some individuals may have difficulty accessing water due to physical or financial limitations, so proper hydration becomes much more difficult if water isn't readily available.
How To Help Diabetic Seniors Stay Hydrated
Although staying hydrated can often be a challenge for diabetic seniors, there are steps that can be taken to help them remain healthy. Regular blood sugar monitoring is essential to prevent dehydration in individuals with diabetes, as it allows caregivers and themselves to recognize when their levels aren't optimal and decrease the odds that the body will try to regulate high blood sugar levels through excess urination. Proper medication management also helps ensure that senior stays properly hydrated by ensuring they don't suffer any undesired side effects or complications from their medications.
A balanced diet full of hydrating foods is another key step towards proper hydration in diabetic seniors, as this provides resiliency against fluctuations in their blood sugar levels. Finally, easy access to water and other hydrating options, such as soups or smoothies, allow seniors to stay adequately hydrated throughout the day.
Get More Help Caring for Diabetic Seniors
Diabetes, like many other conditions, can increase the care that seniors need. At Senior Helpers Indianapolis, we provide in-home care options for seniors in Indianapolis, Carmel, and Brownsburg that can help keep seniors properly hydrated, issue medication reminders, and more. Contact us today to learn more about our senior care options and how they can help a diabetic senior loved one.