Staying hydrated is crucial to good health. As those in nursing homes are often already suffering from ill health, doing all they can to stay healthy will be essential.
For that, they will need the help of the nursing home staff. The staff members are tasked with ensuring residents eat well and drink enough fluids.
The problem is that many residential care homes have major staffing shortages. That can lead to them overlooking things that should be routine. One of those may be ensuring residents drink enough. On top of that, you may find some of the facility’s employees have little interest in doing their job as they should.
Residents might not realize they need to drink more
Some residents will simply go to the tap and get a glass of water if no one brings them one. Others cannot move far without help.
Other residents may never realize they are becoming dehydrated. They may suffer from memory or mental issues that mean they do not think to drink. Some may suffer from confusion, so if someone asks them if they have drunk something, they will say yes when in fact, they haven’t.
Nursing home staff need to ensure adequate hydration
At the end of the day, the employees of the residential home must ensure all residents get enough liquids inside them each day. It’s part of their job. Failing to do so is negligent, as dehydration can severely impact health and even be fatal.
If your parent seems dehydrated when you visit them in a residential care home, it could indicate nursing home neglect. Consider legal help to examine your options.