New Rehydration Therapy for the Elderly with Ionized Water

Elderly vs. Old

There is a significant difference between the expression "elderly" and simply being old. When I think of an elderly person, a degree of frailty or weakness is implied. My twin sister and I are both about to turn 73. While I consider myself middle-aged (LOL), my twin is (or I should say, "was") clearly, in all respects, "elderly." Why? She has had a series of illnesses and operations leading to her present weak and frail condition. But in addition to that, she has been severely dehydrated over and over again for years.

Dehydration in the Elderly

Dehydration in the elderly is not only common, but it 'seems' to be inevitable. It happens all the time, but with my new formula, it is now once and for all controllable, offering a sense of relief and comfort to both the elderly and their caregivers, as well as a ray of hope in the battle against dehydration.

Before I developed my new rehydration formula, it was sure looking like there was no way to help my sister control her constant relapses into dehydration, especially since I live 2,000 miles away and can only visit for 2-3 weeks at a time once or twice a year. And she's alone most of each day. She would improve while I was here but relapse after I left.

However, during this recent visit, I discovered a way to achieve even better improvement faster and overcome her resistance to rehydration. The symptoms of dehydration (such as forgetfulness and a lack of thirst sensation) themselves often appear as the biggest stumbling blocks to long-term success.

Symptoms and Conditions Known to be Caused by Dehydration

Before I discuss the successful rehydration therapy formula I developed, I want to emphasize the seriousness of dehydration. Understanding that dehydration is a leading cause of death in the elderly empowers us to take the necessary steps to address it, making us feel informed and in control of our loved ones' health.

Here is a brief list of the conditions (commonly caused by dehydration) that I noticed in my sister before embarking on what I'm calling "Rehydration Therapy."

• cognitive impairment
• memory loss
• mental fogginess
• short attention span
• short reaction time
• weakness
• frailty
• increased risk of falls
• fear of walking due to falling risk
• difficulty standing, sitting, or doing other everyday tasks
• difficulty making it to the bathroom on time
• every action taking a long time to do (even eating or changing the channel on TV)
• a worsening of existing medical conditions
• a return of diabetes after a successful transplant years before
• diminished sense of thirst
• reluctance to drink/forgetting to drink (even with the glass in her hand)
• crabbiness

How to Fix Dehydration or Rehydrate an Elderly Person

With the elderly, it isn't just a matter of pleasantly encouraging someone to drink more. It isn't even a matter of making sure the elderly person has fluids available within reach at all times. None of this works well when someone is as severely dehydrated as my sister is (or was).

My program works, though, and involves repeating two essential steps every 20 minutes throughout the day.

Don't take rehydration for granted. In just the past two days, using my new rehydration formula, I've seen miracles happening right before my very eyes.

I wish I had known this formula when my mother and father were experiencing the same symptoms back around 20 years ago. Their later years were spent in dismal isolation, confined to a life of immobility, listlessness, disorientation, and excessive TV-watching. I remember knowing they were dehydrated and encouraging them to drink all day, every day. However, I also recall feeling frustrated that they would only take a few tiny sips here and there, no matter how hard I tried to encourage them.

The Rehydration formula

There are only two steps to the rehydration formula. Repeat these steps every 20 minutes (except while eating or sleeping) throughout the day until a full recovery is achieved.

Step 1: Use Ionized Water:

Using ionized water is essential because it is the most well-filtered and beneficial water to drink. The alkaline pH helps hydrate and detox the body. The antioxidants (H2) in ionized water combat free-radical damage and assist in hydration and cell repair. The water itself has been scientifically proven to offer health benefits. If you can't afford a water ionizer, at least get the ionizing pitcher, because the kind of water you drink makes a huge difference.

See the Benefits of Ionized Water and Ionized Water Research pages.

Step 2: Use a Shot-Glass Approach

The second step in the formula for successful recovery from dehydration is to deliver small doses of the water frequently. What I mean by small, frequent dosing of the water is 1.5 ounces of ionized water every 20 minutes.

This 'shot-glass approach' ensures a steady intake of water without overwhelming the person, making it easier for them to stay hydrated.

How Did I Discover this Rehydration Formula?

All along, it helped that I had the right kind of loving attitude, and I was determined to help her recover. However, even with the right attitude, I still had to employ a scientific method, which is a testament to the power of determination and the scientific approach to overcoming challenges.

First Day's Trial & Error: On the first day, I gave my sister a 12-ounce glass of water. She flavored it the way she always did (supposedly, the flavoring made drinking water more palatable). I accepted that rationale and just encouraged her to drink often. Even with it flavored "just right," I had to keep reminding her to drink encouragingly (hoping and praying), but I had very little success. She would only drink tiny sips here and there. She was crabby and foggy about it, too. Most people would interpret this as that she wasn't thirsty. And this is how dehydration tricks those trying to help their loved ones.

On that first day, we were pushing against each other. I knew we had to somehow align our goals, yet my sister was incapable of even thinking about them at the time.

Doing it the right way: The next day, I got the bright idea that the amount of water I was giving her might be too much. I still gave her the whole glass of flavored water, but in addition, I poured a small shot glass of 1 1/2 ounces (1.5 ounces) of freshly poured unflavored ionized water and waited the 2 seconds it took for her to drink it. The first time was a charm! She drank it happily, without complaint about the taste, and from that point on, we never had a struggle.

So, I repeated the 2 steps after 20 minutes. Voila! She again drank it happily.

After three hours of repeating both steps every 20 minutes, I could see her getting brighter and happier, more active, and more mentally alert, until she suddenly said, "This is the best morning I can remember having in a long time."

Wow! I didn't expect that after the struggles and foggy, crabby time we had the day before.

What was the difference?

It was the same basic water, the same two people, every detail the same, but the one difference was the amount of water I handed her to drink and the frequency at which I did so.

1.5 ounces - easy to drink - 2 seconds - boom - Repeat after 20 minutes - EASY!

Progress Noted on Day 3

On the third day, I noticed that she had now developed a preference for unsweetened water. In other words, the whole glass that I'd been giving her to sip on in between the shot glasses was now, by her choice, unflavored. So, she's starting to like just water. Amazing!

She's also beginning to drink on her own and notices her thirst better. She has been getting stronger and showing interest in doing mild short walks or exercises.

Using the list of my former observations (from less than a week ago), I've made comments on each item, noting the improvements I've observed so far.

• cognitive impairment (only occasionally noticeable)
• memory loss (only occasionally noticeable)
• mental fogginess (no longer noticeable)
• short attention span (only occasionally noticeable)
• short reaction time (only occasionally noticeable)
• weakness (some improvement noted)
• frailty (some improvement noted)
• increased risk of falls (some improvement noted)
• fear of walking due to falling risk (some improvement noted)
• difficulty standing, sitting, or doing other everyday tasks (some improvement noted)
• difficulty making it to the bathroom on time (some improvement noted)
• every action taking a long time to do (even eating or changing the channel on TV) (some improvement noted)
• a worsening of existing medical conditions (some improvement noted)
• a return of diabetes after a successful transplant years before
• diminished sense of thirst (some improvement noted)
• reluctance to drink/forgetting to drink (even with the glass in her hand) (some improvement noted)
• crabbiness (no longer an issue)

The Next Challenge

I plan to be here another 2 weeks, and I'm starting to think the sky's the limit on how much progress might be made by then.

My biggest goal for this trip is to get her so habitualized to our shot-glass routine that she does it on her own (and doesn't relapse) after I leave. It's this risk of relapse that has foiled all other efforts to help her and others with their tendency to become dehydrated in the past.

The stability of her full recovery, both physically and mentally, will depend on her ability to follow this simple hydration program without help in the future.

My rehydration formula really works, and that's why I'm sharing it now rather than later. I'll likely update this post periodically to report on my sister's progress and whether she's able to maintain the program on her own after I leave.