The investigation of fluid intake and affecting factors of fluid intake of elderly people living in nursing homes

Aim: The aim of this research was to investigate fluid intake and affecting factors of fluide intake of elderly people living in a nursing home. Method: The research was carried out from July to November 2012 in a nursing home. The study sample consisted of 135 elderly individuals who are eligible for the inclusion criteria of the study. Socio-demographic Characteristics Questionnaire, Fluid Intake Assessments Questionnaire, Mini Mental State Examination, Barthel Activities of Daily Living İndex, Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale, Geriatric Depression Scale, Mini Nutritional Assessment Test were used as data collection tools. In the data collection process, individuals were asked to record the amounts of fluid intake of their for 3 days. The daily liquid amounts that Individuals should take is calculated by using Gaspar formula. Fluid deficit was calculated by subtracting from fluid that should be taken to the the amount of fluid that took. The relationship between the amount of fluid deficit and the factors affecting were examined using Pearson's correlation analysis, the Mann Whitney U test, Kruskal Wallis test. Results: It was found that 84.4% of the fluide intake of the participants (n: 114) less than the amount that they should take for a day, and that mean of fluid deficit of these individuals was 712.96+368.84 ml. When the factors affecting individuals' intake were evaluated, it was found that the fluid deficit of individuals who had urinary incontinence (p <0.001), the problem of oral health (p <0.05), depression (P <0.05), musculo-skeletal problems (p <0.05) and they supposed that their fluid intake was not sufficient (p <0.001) were significantly higher than those. Conclusion: According to the results of this study to recommended that nurses must know the factors that affect fluid intake of elderly people in order to ensuring adequate fluid intake and must be implemented that the interventions to increase fluid intake. Key Words: Dehydration, elderly, fluid intake, hydration