How Important is Hydration As We Age?

Wondering if you should up your water dosage as you’re getting older? Need motivation to stay hydrated? Curious how hydration needs change as you age? 

Hydration is important at any age and is crucial to anyone’s overall health. However, there are some key factors that make hydration more important and tricky as we age, including:

1. Water Loss: as we get older, we lose water more quickly, making frequent hydration more important now, then 10 or 20 years ago. 
2. Decreased Sensitivity: many seniors may not realize they’re less sensitive to their bodies’ needs and may not feel parched until dehydration has already set in. Drinking water regularly can combat this issue. 
3. Mobility Changes: limits in mobility can make getting a glass of water a hassle; having a reusable bottle of water with you can alleviate the burden. If a trip to the restroom is a bit of workout, drinking your fill of water is less rewarding. To address this, make changes to your home for bathroom accessibility. 
4. Memory Trouble: even in our younger years we can get to the end of a day and realize we’ve forgotten to eat or drink anything! Now that we’re older, memory can be a bigger issue. If you often forget to drink water during the day, put yourself on a simple schedule, like drinking water at the beginning of each hour or having a glass before and after every meal. 

Dehydration can range from mild to severe, just like your symptoms which can include headaches, muscle cramps, low blood pressure, and confusion. Chronic dehydration can damage the brain and kidneys, leading to irreversible problems. 

Because dehydration is not just a matter of comfort but can be fatal, it’s important to remember your water today and everyday! 

Here are a few tips for easier hydration:

• Carry a reusable water bottle. 
• Eat fruits and veggies with high water content, like apple and cucumber. 
• Avoid salt and caffeine. 
• Drink water before, during, and after a workout, including walks or a round of golf. 
• Maximize your accessibility to a restroom at home. 

Learn more about the importance of hydration for seniors and senior care and give us a call. As experts in senior living and memory care in Ann Arbor, Hillside Terrace is ready to serve you. And remember, at Hillside Terrace, our family shares life with your family. 

De-Clutter: How to Create Space That Matters!

Want to create space in your home that matters but not sure where to start? Feeling the urge to purge and looking for tips? Need motivation before you begin the de-cluttering process?

The longer we live, the more we tend to collect! There are lots of good reasons to hang on to objects and mementos from knick-knacks, to furniture, to documents, and etc. But there can be equally compelling reasons to let things go!

To help you start the process, consider our top three reasons why you might want to de-clutter and three techniques to help you do it.  

Reasons to De-Clutter:

1. Access to what you need: de-cluttering your rooms and storage spaces will give you better access to the things you need and use every day and more space to enjoy them. 
2. Space and safety at home: letting go of a few things will lead to a better flow in your house, which will keep you safer as your mobility changes with age. 
3. Prepare to downsize: reducing your clutter and possessions can help you downsize to a more manageable home or make your current house more comfortable with space for things that matter, like visitors and guests!

Techniques to De-Clutter

1. Don’t save it, scan it: Living with stacks of paperwork you might not need, but may end up needing it a week later? Solve your problem by scanning documents and saving them on a computer. Only hang on to originals of what you really need, like birth certificates. Don’t be afraid to ask your kids or grandkids to help with technology if you need it!
2. Getting over nostalgia: Are you hanging onto things only for the memories they’re tied to? A good technique to get past this is to keep a file of photos of nostalgic items and let the physical item go. Keeping the image will keep the ties to memories, but make more space in your home. 
3. Three box technique: Need a clear process to get you through a room-to-room de-clutter? Try labeling three boxes as keep, sell/donate, and trash. Then start tackling one area at a time. In each area, make sure you consider every item separately and place it in one of the boxes. It’s OK to move slowly and take your time! At the end of the process, you’ll have more space in your home for things that really matter!

It can be a lot to consider, and feel overwhelming to get started, but if you dig in, the process and the result can be rewarding. 

If you’re interested in de-cluttering for downsizing purposes, give us a call today to learn your options. As experts in senior living and memory care in Ann Arbor, we’re here to answer all your questions. At Hillside Terrace our family shares life with your family.