Risk Factors for Dehydration in Elderly Patient

Gender of the patient

Age of the patient

Total daily fluid intake

Number of chronic comorbid disorders

Number of current medications

• have decreased total body water?

• have a history of dehydration?

• respond poorly to thirst?

• have difficulty in comprehension, confusion, dementia or Alzheimer's disease?

• have a decreased levels of consciousness?

• show self-neglect?

• depressed?

• have moderate to marked impairment in mobility (chairbound, bedridden)?

• have difficulty communicating?

• have problems with hand dexterity and/or need for assistance in eating and drinking?

• have no or limited access to water?

• been placed on restricted fluid intake with insufficient parenteral fluid replacement?

• hospitalized?

• in a health care facility with problems providing care (understaffing, poor training, poor supervision)?

• have polyuria (diabetes mellitus, diabetes insipidus, diuresis, impaired renal concentrating capacity)?

• have diarrhea?

• have fever or high environmental temperature?

• vomiting?

• had significant bleeding?

• tachypneic?

• on a mechanical ventilator?

• in an environment with very low humidity?

• have fluid loss across the skin (from sweating, burns, open bullae, etc)?

• have impaired fluid intake (dysphagia, oral or esophageal disease, etc)?

• on lithium therapy?

• have anorexia?

• intentionally not drinking (fear of incontinence, fasting)?

• in isolation or solitary confinement?