--- title: "How to get an elderly parent to drink more water" description: "Practical, non-nagging ways to increase an older parent's fluid intake, including what to do when they cut back deliberately." lang: en-GB json-ld: | [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://youcarereminders.co.uk/#organization", "name": "You Care Reminders", "url": "https://youcarereminders.co.uk", "email": "hello@youcarereminders.co.uk", "areaServed": "GB" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://youcarereminders.co.uk/#website", "name": "You Care Reminders", "url": "https://youcarereminders.co.uk", "publisher": { "@id": "https://youcarereminders.co.uk/#organization" }, "inLanguage": "en-GB" } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type": "Question", "name": "How many prompts a day?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Four or five, spread across the waking day, is the sweet spot for most families." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What if they have a fluid restriction?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Follow the clinician's number exactly and use prompts for timing rather than volume. Never encourage more fluid than they have been told to take." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Do hydration apps on their phone work?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Only if they open the phone. A call or a text arrives whether or not they think to look." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Is a smart water bottle worth it?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "For some. They tend to be fiddly, need charging, and are easily left in another room, which is why simple prompts often outperform them." } } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://youcarereminders.co.uk/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Signs of dehydration", "item": "https://youcarereminders.co.uk/signs-of-dehydration-in-older-adults" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Drinking more water", "item": "https://youcarereminders.co.uk/getting-a-parent-to-drink-more-water" } ] } ] --- [You Care Reminders Caregiver Support ](/) [Home](/)[How it works](/features)[Pricing](/pricing)[FAQ](/faq)[Contact](/contact) [Sign in](/login)[Get started](/signup) 1. [Home](/) 2. [Signs of dehydration](/signs-of-dehydration-in-older-adults) 3. Drinking more water Hydration # Getting a parent to drink more Telling someone to drink more has a success rate close to zero. Changing where the glass sits, and when it is offered, works far better. [Begin caring today for free](/signup)[How it works](/features) ## Deal with the real objection first Most older people who drink too little are not forgetful about it — they have made a decision, usually about the toilet, night-time trips, or continence worries they will not raise with you. Say it out loud kindly. Once it is in the open you can shift most of the fluid to before six o'clock and stop fighting about the total. ## Make the drink easier than not drinking - A lightweight cup they can lift one-handed, kept full, kept in reach of the chair they actually sit in. - Variety: squash, tea, milky drinks, soup, jelly, fruit with high water content. It does not have to be water. - Attach the drink to something already happening — the kettle, the news, the crossword. - A jug filled each morning so the day's progress is visible without counting. ## Prompts that work Four or five short messages beat one long lecture. Keep them warm and specific: 'Mid-morning cuppa, Mum — there's shortbread in the tin.' You Care Reminders sends exactly that, at times you set, in your own wording, and can tell you it was confirmed. ## What not to do Do not turn every phone call into an audit. Nothing kills cooperation faster than the sense of being marked. Set the prompts, then talk about something else entirely. ## The wider picture 6 to 8 glasses of fluid a day is the NHS guide for adults, and older adults often feel thirst less keenly. Source: [NHS](https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/food-guidelines-and-food-labels/water-drinks-nutrition/) ## Being straight with you You Care Reminders is a non-medical wellness tool, not a monitoring service and not an alarm. Delivery is best effort rather than guaranteed, and it must not be used for medication reminders. If you are worried about someone's health, speak to their GP; in an emergency, call 999. ## Questions carers ask ### How many prompts a day? ### What if they have a fluid restriction? ### Do hydration apps on their phone work? ### Is a smart water bottle worth it? ## Read next - [Signs of dehydration](/signs-of-dehydration-in-older-adults) - [Hydration reminder app](/hydration-reminder-app) - [Skipped meals](/skipped-meals-older-adults) - [Prompts without taking over](/prompts-without-taking-over) ## Set the first reminder tonight It takes about five minutes, costs nothing to start, and the person you care for has nothing to install. [Begin caring today for free](/signup)[See plans](/pricing) You Care Reminders Thoughtful reminders that help families stay quietly connected to the people they love. Wellness support, not medical advice. 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