What is adequate fluid intake for an elderly woman?

Thank you for sharing that, caregiverson.

I moved in with my father 7 years ago when he was 80. He is now 87, incontinent, with dementia. After living with him for the first year or two I experienced almost the same issues. I took them up with a couple of doctors and luckily one of them tested him for "Anemia" which is common among the elderly and sure enough he had a very low red blood cell count and this could be the cause of ... let's call it a "runny stool" rather than diarrhea. The prescription was "iron" supplement. BUT not your average everyday iron pill. 325mg iron pills! You have to sometimes ask for it at the druggist counter but most all pharmacies carry it. (even Walmart*) It's relatively cheap for the results I got. The prescription originally was for him to take 3 pills a day which I have reduced to 2 pills a day because too much iron and it can have the opposite effect (constipation) and you don't want that either. His red blood cell count returned to normal and his stool has solidified to a more normal state. It has been about 5 years now and he still takes them with no adverse effects.

I have an elderly mother whom I have had to do a great deal of research work for the past two years. I have found that when I need an answer to a particular question, problem, or require a solution, the Internet helps tremendously. Many times you will be informed as to what type of doctor you need to contact. Dehydration an diarrhea is a very serious problem for an elderly person. If she doesn't like to drink plain straight water, here are flavored healthy waters she can drink. She may be tired of eating food that she eats on regular daily basis. There are many good foods on the market that she would like to eat that have very good fiber. This problem doesn't have to be solved just by taking pills. You may need to take time to help her experiment in finding new things she would like to drink and eat. We as humans get tire of doing the "same old thing". Another great source to refer to is called "A Place For Mom" because they can help in many ways other than finding a place for your parent(s) to live.

Are you thinking her diarrhea is related to her fluid intake? Or are you worried that the diarrhea is likely to cause dehydration? I don't think that there are reliable guidelines for how much fluid any of us need each day. Try doing an internet search for "dehydration symptoms." The Mayo Clinic has some useful information about signs to look for. (Or I guess you could try reading a newspaper through her urine! I'd not heard that, but it is a handy way to remember that urine should be almost clear or very light in color.)

Can you get your mom to drink a little extra on the days she has diarrhea -- maybe juice or a beverage she doesn't have often but likes? My mother will drink 7-up when she isn't feeling well.

Dehydration can be serious in the edlerly (or any of us, really), so I think your concern is well placed. Your mother is lucky to have you to keep an eye on her.

I've heard that if your urine is clear enough to read a newspaper through, then you're getting enough fluids. The diarrhea could be caused by anything when you get old I've noticed.