Causes of: MENTAL CONFUSION IN THE THIRD AGE
By: Arnaldo Liechtenstein, physician.
Whenever I teach clinical medicine to students in the fourth year of medicine, I ask the following question:
What are the causes of mental confusion in the elderly? (Not sure where he gets "elderly" for those over 60? That was only elderly before I turned 60
)Some offered: "Tumours in the head". I answer: No!
Others suggestions: "Early symptoms of Alzheimer's". I answer again: No!
With each rejection of their answers, their responses dry up. And they are even more open-mouthed when I list the three most common causes:
- uncontrolled diabetes;
- urinary infection;
- dehydration
It may sound like a joke, but it isn't. People over 60 constantly stop feeling thirsty and consequently stop drinking fluids. When no one is around to remind them to drink fluids, they quickly dehydrate. Dehydration is severe and affects the entire body. It may cause abrupt mental confusion, a drop in blood pressure, increased heart palpitations, angina (chest pain), coma and even death. *This habit of forgetting to drink fluids begins at age 60, when we have just over 50% of the water we should have in our bodies. People over 60 have a lower water reserve. This is part of the natural aging process.*
But there are more complications. Although they are dehydrated, they don't feel like drinking water, because their internal balance mechanisms don't work very well. (Never had a problem with internal balance drinking water? Well, unless the water was just an additive)
*Conclusion:* People over 60 years old dehydrate easily, not only because they have a smaller water supply, but also because they do not feel the lack of water in the body. Although people over 60 may look healthy, the performance of reactions and chemical functions can damage their entire body.
So, here are two alerts:
1) *Get into the habit of drinking liquids*. Liquids include water, juices, teas, coconut water, milk, soups, and water-rich fruits, such as watermelon, melon, peaches and pineapple; Orange and tangerine also work, as well as cucumbers.
*The important thing is that, every two hours, you must drink some liquid. Remember this!*
2) Alert for family members: constantly offer fluids to people over 60. At the same time, observe them. If you realize that they are rejecting liquids and, from one day to the next, they are irritable, breathless or display a lack of attention, these are almost certainly recurrent symptoms of dehydration.
Arnaldo Liechtenstein (46), (well that explains the Elderly tag for those over 60) physician, is a general practitioner at Hospital das Clínicas and a collaborating professor in the Department of Clinical Medicine at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of São Paulo (USP).
Your friends and family need to know for themselves and help you to be healthier and happier.
It's good to share!
Now for that bad news part I mentioned at the beginning:
*For people over 60*, he doesn't include Whisky, (Scotch, Irish, Jamaican or Bourbon variants apparently) or Beer! So it seems we need to switch to Tequila, Gin or Alan @ Taggerty's idea of neat alcohol and various flavouring added. Pity, I kinda enjoyed the "steak in a glass" on a hot day ... or a warm day or one that needed a drink to warm you up ........
Perhaps we should take heed of some of the advice and do further research on the last bit
A glass of water between each "Steak in a glass" might work, can't imagine adding even more water to beer or Jack Daniels or Honey bourbon or Glava or ....... well you just don't add water to a decent drink do you 
T1 Terry