Allowing yourself to become dehydrated can lead to serious medical problems. This is especially true if you are older. Dehydration occurs when your body does not have enough fluids to function properly. This can happen if you are experiencing severe diarrhea, vomiting, excessive sweating, not drinking enough during exercise or when it is hot out. Learning to recognize the signs is important but can be tricky, as the signs and symptoms of dehydration can be the same as side effects of medications and other medical conditions that are common in the elderly. If you catch it early enough, you can manage dehydration by increasing your fluid intake. However, dehydration that goes untreated requires medical attention and can be deadly.
Mild Symptoms
If an elderly person is in the beginning stages of dehydration, he may experience a dry and or sticky feeling in the mouth and complain of excessive thirst. He may feel sleepy, lightheaded, dizzy, experience muscle weakness and have a headache. He may also be noticeably less active than usual.
Symptoms of Moderate Dehydration
If liquids are not taken in, symptoms may progress and include appearing confused or irritable. The person will stop sweating, and the eyes may not produce tears. She may be constantly thirsty. Urine that is dark yellow or having little urine output are other signs. When an elderly person is dehydrated, her blood pressure may become low and the pulse may be rapid.
Symptoms of Severe Dehydration
If you notice any of these symptoms in an elderly person, he may be severely dehydrated: the eyes appearing sunken, the skin losing its elasticity or the development of a fever. He may become delirious and faint or become unconscious. Seek medical attention if the person does not urinate for more than 8 hours, has severe diarrhea for 3 days or more, acts disoriented or begins to have unexplained seizures. Dehydration can become life-threatening, and the person can lapse into a coma or experience organ failure.
