Associations Between Dehydration, Cognitive Impairment, and Frailty in Older Hospitalized Patients: An Exploratory Study
Authors: McCrow Judy , Morton Margaret , Travers Catherine , Harvey Keren , Eeles Eamonn 
Published: April 2016

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1.2
contact hours will be awarded by Villanova University College of Nursing upon successful completion of this activity. A contact hour is a unit of measurement that denotes 60 minutes of an organized learning activity. This is a learner-based activity. Villanova University College of Nursing does not require submission of your answers to the quiz. A contact hour certificate will be awarded once you register, pay the registration fee, and complete the evaluation form online at
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. To obtain contact hours you must:

1.

Read the article, “Associations Between Dehydration, Cognitive Impairment, and Frailty in Older Hospitalized Patients: An Exploratory Study” found on pages 19–27, carefully noting any tables and other illustrative materials that are included to enhance your knowledge and understanding of the content. Be sure to keep track of the amount of time (number of minutes) you spend reading the article and completing the quiz.

2.

Read and answer each question on the quiz. After completing all of the questions, compare your answers to those provided within this issue. If you have incorrect answers, return to the article for further study.

3.

Go to the Villanova website listed above to register for contact hour credit. You will be asked to provide your name; contact information; and a VISA, MasterCard, or Discover card number for payment of the $20.00 fee. Once you complete the online evaluation, a certificate will be automatically generated.

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Contact Hours

This activity is co-provided by Villanova University College of Nursing and SLACK Incorporated.

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Activity Objectives

1.

Describe the incidence of dehydration in older hospitalized patients.

2.

Identify risk and management strategies related to dehydration in older hospitalized patients.

Disclosure Statement

Neither the planners nor the author have any conflicts of interest to disclose.

The current exploratory study (a) assessed the prevalence of dehydration in older adults (age ≤60 years) with and without cognitive impairment (CI) admitted to the hospital; and (b) examined associations between dehydration, CI, and frailty. Forty-four patients participated and dehydration was assessed within 24 hours of admission and at Day 4 or discharge (whichever occurred first). Patients' cognitive function and frailty statuses were assessed using validated instruments. Twenty-seven (61%) patients had CI and 61% were frail. Prevalence of dehydration at admission was 29% (
n
= 12) and 19% (
n
= 6) at study exit, and dehydration status did not differ according to CI or frailty status. However, within the non-CI group, significantly more frail than fit patients were dehydrated at admission (
p
= 0.03). Findings indicate dehydration is common among older hospitalized patients and that frailty may increase the risk for dehydration in cognitively intact older adults. [
Journal of Gerontological Nursing
,
42
(5), 19–27.]