Most professionals agree that people should be drinking eight decent sized glasses a day, which is around 2 litres, while the NHS advises that where clinically appropriate, patients should be consuming 2.5 litres a day.
Most people, especially older people, do not drink anywhere near that amount, so mild dehydration is very common. It is therefore vital to encourage patients and staff to increase their water consumption.
Encourage water consumption with these tips:
1. Hospital teams should be encouraged to develop a policy on how water will be provided and its intake monitored.
2. Nurses can be reminded to encourage water intake for those at higher risk by hanging pictures showing water droplets in wards and near patients’ beds.
3. A positive approach should be taken with patients. Saying: “Here is some nice cool refreshing water for you,†is often more effective than: “Do you want something to drink?â€
4. Water is best served fresh and not left in open jugs.
5. Water should be offered in between meals, as well as during mealtimes, as people like to drink little and often.
6. Older people and those who are unwell can lose their thirst response and taste sensation, so it shouldn’t be taken for granted that they will know when they need to drink.
7. Patients tend to drain their glasses when swallowing tablets, so offering larger volumes of water at this time encourages them to drink more.
8. Families and friends should be informed about the importance of promoting hydration when they visit.
9. For patients who favour hot beverages, hot water could be prepared with slices of fruit, such as lemon, lime or orange.
10. Patients at risk of dehydration or those that require assistance with drinking should be monitored and their fluid intake recorded.
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