While all doctors and nutritionists do not agree on exactly how much water a person should consume on any given day, all medical professionals recognize the importance of avoiding dehydration. After all, according to the Mayo Clinic, dehydration can cause fatigue, dizziness, confusion and even death.
Seniors are particularly at risk of dehydration, as they tend to have a lower concentration of water in their bodies. Moreover, some medications doctors use to treat age-associated ailments also can cause dehydration.
Nursing home neglect
Nursing home professionals have a duty to keep residents as healthy as possible. An easy way to achieve this goal is to provide a steady supply of fluids. If nurses and nursing assistants are too busy to monitor fluid intake, though, nursing home patients might have problems with dehydration. Consequently, dehydration may be a sign of nursing home neglect.
Dehydration symptoms
Dehydration can quickly progress from a minor annoyance to a life-threatening medical emergency. Therefore, nurses and other nursing home professionals should know how to identify it. While everyone is a bit different, most individuals with dehydration have the following symptoms:
- Excessive thirst
- Dry mouth
- Confusion
- Sunken facial features
- Abnormally odorous urine
Your loved one’s care
If you have a loved one who lives in a nursing home, it is advisable to check in with him or her periodically. Visiting in person is a good idea, as doing so gives you an opportunity to observe your relative and to speak with nursing home staff.
Ultimately, though, if neglected dehydration causes your loved one to suffer some type of injury, he or she might be eligible for significant financial compensation.
