Enjoy hydrating!

Hello. I'm Maana, a caregiver. We're having a heatwave across the country, aren't we?

So, today I'd like to write about hydration.

Sometimes, when I offer tea to elderly people, they refuse, saying they don't want it. Then, at the next opportunity, I offer it again, and they finally take a sip... Nowadays, the dangers of dehydration are widely known, and I'm sure many people are being careful. Even with this awareness, elderly people sometimes don't want to drink water much. As people age, they tend to feel thirst less easily, so they often become dehydrated without even realizing it.

Therefore, caregivers come up with various ideas to encourage them to drink.

For example, instead of just tea, we offer milk or fruit juice. It's also recommended to solidify it with gelatin to make a refreshing jelly that's easy to swallow. For those whose throat muscles have weakened and their swallowing ability has declined, gelatin is safer than agar. On hot days, we sometimes have shaved ice as a recreational activity. People tend to eat more in a fun atmosphere. If you have a mill-blender at home, you can do even more fun things. You can enjoy a smoothie by combining frozen canned fruit and yogurt. You can stay hydrated deliciously and also expect constipation relief.

Everyone, please try to stay hydrated enjoyably.