Tips for Helping Keep Your Mom Hydrated in the Heat
Temperatures in many regions have been soaring for weeks. Keeping hydrated is important, but your mom seems to be having a hard time remembering to drink enough. Don’t let your mom risk her health and safety in this heat. A senior home care aide can make sure she has enough to drink and eat throughout the day.
How do you make sure she’s staying hydrated?
Have a Pitcher of Her Favorite Beverage
What does your mom love to drink? If she likes iced tea or lemonade, have a pitcher ready in her refrigerator. She’s more likely to drink regularly if she has favorite beverages available.
Keep Cubed Melon in the Fridge
Watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew all contain a lot of water. Cut them up and put the cubes in a reusable container. When she’s hungry, she can snack on some melon and stay hydrated. In addition to melon, berries, grapes, and oranges are also hydrating.
Make Chilled Soups
On a hot day, the last thing your mom probably wants is a hot bowl of soup to go with the sandwich she’s having. Make chilled soups and store them in single-serving-sized reusable containers.
Soups like chilled borscht, cucumber soup with dill, and gazpacho are all options that will keep your mom hydrated and increase her vegetable intake at the same time.
Purchase a Reusable Bottle That Measures Water Intake
Unless your mom has an underlying health condition that limits her water intake, most women need about two liters per day. Purchase a one-liter reusable water bottle that has hourly markings on the side. She needs to drink two of those per day.
Remind Her of Sun Safety Rules
Remind your mom that in hot weather, it’s best to stay inside during the hottest hours, which are usually from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., though that does vary by region. A good rule of thumb is to tend to her gardens or walk her dog before breakfast and after dinner.
If she has to go out in the hottest hours of the day, she needs to make it quick. It’s also advisable that she messages you that she’s heading outside. Door cameras with motion detection and alerts also help you track her movements and determine if she’s been outside for longer than she should.
Make Sure Her Home Is Cool Enough
Check that your mom’s home is cool enough. If she has AC and it’s not working effectively, it might be time to have it serviced. If she doesn’t have AC, would she like a window unit? They cost a lot less to run than they used to.
Newer ENERGY Star U-shaped window units have mounting systems that snap in place with rubberized feet that brace against the home’s exterior. It doesn’t require holes to be drilled into the window frame. With the fan inside the home and everything else located outside the home, these units are also very quiet.
Call our senior home care specialist and ask about companion care and meal preparation.
If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring professional Senior Home Care Services in New Providence NJ, please talk to the caring staff at Generations Home Health Care today.
Providing Home Care in Somerset, Essex, Union, Morris, and Hunterdon Counties. Call us today at (908) 290-0691 or (973) 241-4534.
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