And here's another question in from S via email:
My mother who has middle-stage dementia drinks very little, which I am sure is a contributory factor to her chronic constipation and I think may be affecting her health more generally. We have tried to persuade her to drink more but without success. She claims that a full cup is too heavy for her, and so only fills it half-full, which does not help. I wonder if she may be afraid that she will not be able to find a toilet if she goes out, but she has the same behaviour even when she is staying at home all day. How can we get her to drink more?
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Hello S,
Thank you for your email.
You've hit the nail on the head with the lack of fluids contributing to constipation. Trying to encourage people with dementia to drink more fluids can be really difficult. Are there types of drinks she enjoys? Such as a cup of tea? If there is it can help to start with this.
Other things that may help include having a drink on hand whenever she eats, and encouraging her to take a sip often.
It can help to use a clear glass or a brightly coloured cup so you can see what's in it. Sometimes water can look like an empty glass so juice may be better.
Offering the person the cup or putting it in her line of sight might work.
You can get adapated cups which might be easier to hold, if your mum is struggling.
You can also try foods that are high in fluid such as gravy, jelly, ice cream etc as these can help someone take on fluid.
You mention that she might be worried about making it to the toilet if she drinks too much and this is quite common in people as the dementia progresses. If they're worried about not making it to the toilet they are less likely to drink. It can help to try a routine of going to the toilet, and making it as easy as possible such as easy clothing and making sure toilets are easy to find.
If the cup is too heavy, half a cup is better than no cup and maybe you could try putting cups around the house so she can take a sip when she is ready.
I hope this helps,
Gemma