My father (91) is obsessed with hydration. He drinks 8 cups of water daily and is eating normally. How can I help him understand he's ok?

I’ve been striving to drink that much water myself.

Thank goodness his drink of choice is non-alcoholic, inexpensive and easily accessible!

Count all your lucky stars that his main concern is water. I know perfectly healthy people who will drink at least twice that amount every day.
If that's what makes him happy, a glass of water, why not enjoy it. You did not explain the obssecion part-does he want to drink it all at once? Asks for water all the time? Needs to see the pouring of water from the pitcher?
Otherwise, he seems to be doing very well.

Actually, dehydration is up there at the top for problems that the elderly have. Let the dr. decide, and most likely, the Dr. will be happy with his drinking so much water. As he progresses with dementia, he may begin to forget, so it may be a blessing. You don't want him to do it out of fear and that is so commendable. But like a lot of replies here, he could be obsessed with sweets and salt and other things bad for the body.

Good for your dad because I cannot get my mom to drink nearly enough. She probably is in a constant state of dehydration. This causes low heart rate, high BP & constipation!

Almost every senior admitted to hospital has blood work that comes out showing dehydration. We lose our instinctive drive to take fluids. In some hot parts of the country this is a serious problem.
However, for an elder, taking TOO MUCH WATER can be just as serious a problem and a much quicker killer. This is because with age the heart, as a pump weakens and fluid accumulates in the peripheral areas, but worse, in the lungs. This can be an instant killer in cases of left heart failure and is called "flash pulmonary edema". If the senior is obsessed with fluid intake then one should be on watch for signs of fluid overload. Weight should be done daily and three pound gain a worry, assess whether able to breathe easily at rest laying flat. Check legs for pitting edema (you press in thumb or finger and the dent stays there for some seconds).
This is something for you and your senior to discuss with doctor--and to ascertain how much fluid should be taken. If there is dementia at all then it is often difficult when an "obsession" like this takes hold. Wishing you good luck going forward.

Hi all
if he experienced dehydration, UTI and fall, He will be doing everything he can do avoid it again. I think your dad is fab for making sure he is drinking enough and wonderful he’s doing so well.
(my dad has a catheter due to recurrent UTIs, enlarged prostate and CKD, we regularly bicker about getting him to drink more fluids.)

Getting fixated on one issue sometimes happens...it can be a way of focusing the general distress and anxiety about the losses of aging. Many elders refuse fluids for fear of being incontinent, or become obsessed about bowel function, or the activities of the next door neighbor. Unless the medical appt shows some sort of problem, maybe this is an issue to let go of....it sounds like he is doing very well right now, with your care.

Let him drink as much water as he wants. Other posts about UTI’s are spot on. Not drinking enough water brings on all kinds of problems. If he can toilet himself, where’s the harm in obsessing about hydration? It doesn’t sound like he’s really going overboard and why do some posters jump to the conclusion that he has dementia, heart failure, etc. There’s nothing in these posts to suggest that his “obsession” is anything other than an overreaction to a recent life threatening situation.

Props to your Dad for his own self care, he must have been a proactive man back in the day :)

HoLLkh7161: He may indeed be reliving the dehydration event at the Emergency Room. Monitor his fluid intake. Also, be advised that he should stop fluid intake earlier in the day to avoid frequent nighttime bathroom visits, which may then cause sleep disturbances/sleeplessness.