Why We Need Water

This is a tough one to write about because it’s very close to home. But what’s the point of having information if you don’t tell anyone about it? Here’s what happened: our father went into the emergency room almost two weeks ago after he suddenly spiraled downhill. After a lot of tests, the doctors at the very fine Lakeland Community Hospital in St. Joseph, Michigan, determined that he was dehydrated. As a result, his kidneys were not functioning, blood sugar levels were sky high, he developed abscessed ulcers in his mouth that were so bad he couldn’t eat or drink, and pretty much everything else was out of whack. He’s been in the hospital for two weeks, dealing with pneumonia and a bacterial infection (both picked up at the hospital). When he leaves, he won’t be able to go back to the assisted living facility he had just moved into because he’s so debilitated. Now he’s heading for a nursing home. And all because he wasn’t getting enough water.

Since then, I’ve learned a few things about the elderly and water, things that might make a difference to others out there with older parents. First, older people may not feel thirsty, so they need to be encouraged to drink water. Second, individuals with dementia simply forget to drink water, just as they sometimes forget to eat. Third, dehydration is apparently quite common in nursing homes and assisted living facilities.

What can be done about the situation? I can’t say I have a solution, but here’s what we’re trying. Many people, especially those who grew up during the Depression, just can’t get used to the idea of buying bottled water when you can get it from the tap and it’s free. Unfortunately, since he’s in a wheelchair, getting to the tap isn’t easy. Plus, a great deal of the tap water out there isn’t all that great. And I’ve seen articles that say some bottled waters aren’t much better.

As it turns out, a smart friend who happens to know about these things bought a Brita water pitcher, a simple device that filters a lot of the junk out of tap water. The pitchers start at about $35 and the replacement filters are about $20 or less online and in discount stores. Brita also makes a device that fits on the faucet, so you can get filtered water right out of the tap. (And, no, I’m not getting a nickel for recommending Brita. I just like the system.) So we got Dad a Brita. Now he has a pitcher of filtered water nearby, a good reminder to the nursing home staff to offer him water throughout the day.

Of course, plenty of people – old and young alike -- are not drinking enough water. How about you? Keep track of your water intake for a couple of days and see if you’re getting the recommended eight glasses per day. And no, coffee, tea, juice, beer, wine and sodas don’t count. In fact, most of those beverages are diuretics (meaning they tend to flush water from the body), so you need even more water to offset those effects.