Dehydration in Nursing Home Residents

Dehydration among nursing home residents is not uncommon; however, it may be preventable. If your senior loved one loses too much fluid from the body, they can experience significant medical and psychological problems, and in some cases, loss of life.

If your loved one becomes ill because his or her symptoms of dehydration were not recognized and treated, contact a personal injury lawyer, who will evaluate your concerns to determine if you should pursue legal action against the nursing home. Here are some things you should know about dehydration in nursing home residents:

Many elderly individuals, especially those who have Alzheimer's disease or other cognitive deficits, may be unable to ask the staff for water when they get thirsty. While a communication barrier does pose challenges to both elderly residents and the nursing home staff, a nursing home resident should not become dehydrated because of it.

Nursing home staff members should not only provide water to residents when they ask for it but also at regular intervals throughout the day. If your loved one has communication deficits and becomes dehydrated because he or she was unable to ask for water, the nursing home staff may have been negligent.

In addition to communication barriers, other causes for dehydration include side effects from diuretics. Also known as "water pills," diuretics are prescribed to treat high blood pressure, liver failure, kidney problems, and edema.

While effective in managing these conditions, diuretics cause excessive and frequent urination, and sometimes, potassium and sodium abnormalities. Other causes of dehydration may include fever, infection, diarrhea, vomiting, and refusing to drink water. Nursing home staff should know which medications each resident is on and should be extra aware of dehydration symptoms in diuretic users.

One of the first signs of dehydration is increased thirst. However, your loved one may be unable to tell the staff that he or she is thirsty. Decreased urinary output is also another common symptom of dehydration, and in addition to scanty urine flow, the urine may be concentrated and dark yellow.

Elderly individuals may also experience headaches and dizziness if they are dehydrated, as well as poor skin turgor. The next time you visit your loved one in the nursing home, perform a simple skin turgor test on the individual to check his or her hydration status.

To do this, simply grasp the skin on the back of the senior's hand for a few seconds, and then let go. If the skin fails to return to its original position, the person may be dehydrated. While the skin turgor test is considered relatively reliable, the skin of elderly people may not be as elastic as the skin of younger individuals, and, therefore, may be slow to "snap back."

If they do not recognize and treat early symptoms of dehydration, your loved one may develop the following:

• Low blood pressure
• Lightheadedness
• Fast heart rate
• Fever
• Seizures
• Shock

Dehydration can be life-threatening, especially in its later stages. Allowing mild dehydration to progress to late stage dehydration, may indicate nursing home negligence.

Dehydration is treated by replacing lost body fluids through the oral intake of water, broths, electrolyte sports drinks, or even ice chips. If oral interventions fail to reverse dehydration, your loved one may require intravenous fluid therapy. In addition to fluid replacement, a physician needs to determine the underlying cause of dehydration.

While your loved one is undergoing treatment for dehydration, avoid giving the individual caffeinated drinks because they may further add to dehydration, as they can cause frequent urination.

If the nursing home resident becomes dehydrated as a result of diarrhea or vomiting, the physician should be notified as soon as possible. If the nursing home staff failed to notify the physician, or if the physician failed to prescribe the appropriate treatment, negligence or even malpractice may have been committed.

To learn more about dehydration in nursing home residents or to speak with a personal injury lawyer about nursing home negligence, contact us today.