Most of us will be aware of the fact that water is vital to maintaining good health, however, it is often overlooked as an essential nutrient. Few of us would pay as much attention to gaining our daily dose of water as to making sure we get our recommended intake of Vitamin C for example, but research shows that by drinking less than we should we are hindering our bodies’ ability to age in a happy and healthy way.

There is currently no agreed recommended daily water intake for adults, however, a conservative estimate for adults is 2.5 litres a day. Unfortunately, many older people do not drink adequate amounts of water – a recent survey in UK care homes found that their residents drank on average 2-4 glasses a day, less than half the suggested 2.5 litres.

Older people often have diminished appetites and may miss out on water intake through their food, in addition, thirst has been shown to be impaired in older people, in particular those who have had a stroke or who are suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.

So… what is the point of all this research? Well it shows us that we are missing out on the many benefits drinking lots of water has as we grow older, some of which are listed below:

• If you are poorly hydrated you are twice as likely to develop pressure ulcers.
• Inadequate fluid intake is one of the most common causes of constipation.
• Water helps maintain a healthy urinary tract and kidneys.
• Good hydration reduces the risk of coronary heart disease by 46% in men and by 59% in women.
• Dehydration can worsen diabetic control.
• Symptoms of mild dehydration include light-headedness, dizziness, headaches and tiredness.
• Dehydration has been shown to increase two-fold the mortality of patients admitted to hospital with a stroke.

You’re beginning to get the idea – drink 8 glasses of water a day and allow your body to age in a happy and healthy way!