He has heart failure but doesn't need to restrict fluids yet. I believe the stroke he had is the reason he isn't drinking much now. He used to drink water all the time. He doesn't drink coffee, tea, hot chocolate , or soup. The fluid has to be low in sodium.
The number one thing to do in caring for ANYONE with congestive heart failure, no matter how progressed the condition is:
WEIGH DAILY AND RECORD THIS ON A CALENDAR!!!!
We all have weight fluctuations, but a significant weight gain overnight of about 2 to 3 pounds needs to be reported. Also, check daily for swelling (edema) of the feet and ankles, and/or shortness of breath.
As for checking for dehydration, as listed in a prior post by someone else, besides the tenting of the skin on the back of the hand, check to see if his tongue is dry, and the color of his urine. It should be ckear. Take into consideration that some medications can darken the urine and some foods, like asparagus can give the urine a funny smell. Your pharmacist can help you with this .
Also, as I previously stated, you have left out too much information. A lot of men even after FORTY years of age develop benign prostatic hypertrophy which can lead to incomplete bladder emptying and/or urinary tract nfections.
If your husband on a diuretic? (water pill).
Weight him daily if you can and keep a log, that will be helpful with CHF or dehydration.
Ask his doctor as well, and be careful with those electrolyte pills, I don't recommend them unless you have your doctor's ok.
Good luck.
Does he choke easily?
Does he prefer juice? What flavors does he like? Is his dominant arm/hand affected? Does he tremble or shake wgen holding a glass or cup?
If there are no diet restrictions that he has to follow you can do the ice cream, milkshakes and smoothies more.
One of the best ways in general to determine if a person is hydrated is to check urine color. If it is light or clear then you are well hydrated. The darker the color the more concentrated the urine the less fluid in the body.
You could even make your husband part of this and have him check each time he urinates. Easy if he is mobile and aware. If he is not mobile or continent then the brief would have to be checked and that is a little more difficult but not impossible.
I also use a fat straw that seems to have him drinking more.
If that's been addressed already then I suggest ice cream , watermelon honeydew melons oranges and juices Gatorade to name a few that have worked for me at my care facility.
You will also need to remind him by picking the glass up handing it to him and suggest a drink. He need to consume 1/2 his body weight in ounces a day but that's only if he is active otherwise 1/4 of his weight will suffice.
Best regards,
Most fruits contain a lot of liquid. As freqflyer points out, watermelon has a lot. Other melons are good, too, plus oranges, berries, apples, pineapple ... just about any fruit.
I noticed that the coffee, tea, and hot chocolate are all caffeinated... maybe it causes his heart to race a bit, and that can be scary for him right now.
Soups are filled with sodium, and salt-free soups taste blah.