Study Finds a Lack of Adequate Hydration Among Seniors

Senior men and women are especially prone to underhydration and dehydration if they don't drink enough water, a new UCLA School of Nursing study cited by the UCLA Newsroom shows. According to the research, these conditions are likely to be under-recognized, bringing on health problems that range from frequent falls to urinary tract infections. Dehydration accounted for a 5 percent increase in preventable emergency room visits between 2008 and 2012, and adults older than 65 have the highest hospital admission rates for dehydration, according to Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality data. However, one big obstacle in determining hydration status among seniors is the lack of a "gold standard" method for measuring hydration. The study, published in the journal SAGE Open Nursing , involved taking urine samples from more than 50 adults at two senior centers and one adult day care center in Los Angeles twice a day, one day a week, over a three-week time span. By measuring salivary osmolality, Janet Mentes, professor of nursing at UCLA, and her team found that senior participants overall had higher osmolality (indicating greater dehydration) than younger adults. Osmolality also was higher among seniors with limited mobility. Salivary osmolality compares the ratio of water to certain chemicals naturally in saliva. It can be measured using a device known as an osmometer.