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My mom has poor kidney function. Her doctor requested that she drink more water throughout the day understanding that it is frustrating due to her incontinence. She has to try. The hard part is.... my mom has always not been a fan of water. Says it has no taste. She is currently in memory care and the caregivers there try as much as they can when they give her meds but that's all she will take, small sips.
My question is, does anyone have any suggestions of anything g to add to water to make it taste better? It has to be water, no juice, or vodka as my mom asked. I know there is crystal light but thought I'd ask for ideas before I go and buy a bunch of different brands to try. Any ideas on this subject would help, thank you.

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Ask for a referral to a Renal Dietitian...Your mom's kidneys may not be filtering certain byproducts in urine well but still be urinating. The Dietitian would have access to her medical records (thus her lab values) and therefore be aware of any dietary restrictions.
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Mom's facility has a carafe of water with sliced cucumbers and lemons in it - I don't care for it - cucumbers are overwhelming

Mom has never been a fan of water or iced tea and lately I noticed she chomps on ice which I yell at her to stop doing so she doesn't break a tooth

Unless dr says no maybe some orange or lemon or lime slices may help - they even have those special water bottles with the holder for fruit to infuse the water with flavor
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There are probably hundreds of flavoured waters and low calorie beverages in your local supermarket, you will be most successful if you can offer what she DOES like to drink. If she likes coffee or tea you can buy decaffeinated varieties, if she wants beer then try some of the non alcohol ones. You probably don't have to completely ban the occasional juice or soda, unless there a problem with diabetes?
I think the key to upping her fluid intake is to always have something- even just ice water - easily within her grasp and to think outside the box. Be conscious also of the fluids available in foods: all fruits and veggies are mostly water, soups are also a good source as are smoothies (made with skim milk or milk alternates they can be low calorie), treats like low calorie jello or popsicles are also good .
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Crystal Light makes individual powder packets (they have liquid flavoring, too) and some of the varieties have vitamins in them. I agree with Kellylynn, you don't need to use the entire packet, just a little bit to flavor a glass of water.
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Check out the section at the grocery store where they have the powered crystal light. You'll see dozens of these little tiny bottles that have concentrated flavors in them. You just add a few drops to water and it adds amazing flavor. There are literally dozens of flavors to choose from.

My dad was big on crystal light - the tiny straws with powder. Plus it had to be really cold and ice always helped.
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I buy my mother the little bottles of water and keep them in the refrigerator. The cold water is more like a treat than a bother to her. There are other things you can ask her doctor about, e.g. Sprite Zero or other sugar and caffeine free sodas. I'm not sure if the carbonation or artificial sweeteners would be good for her. It depends on her stage of kidney disease.
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My father hates to drink water as well, and only has one kidney. So i buy the little individual packets of flavoring and add them to a water bottle. They come in sugar free as well. Koolaid makes them Crush makes them in different flavors. Personally I think they are too sweet so i just add half a packet.. I know its not the perfect solution ,but he will drink water this way. If i dont flavor the waterhe wont drink anything. With the summer heat i worry about dehydration .So this works for now.
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Or even non-alcoholic beer more often, if they like the taste of beer. Your comment, Jeanne, made me think of 1600s America, when people drank a low alcohol content beer, small beer, as a way to get water that wasn't full of bacteria. :-) (That was my understanding of that history lesson.)
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Being aware of the importance of water intake - all the aspects of your body that are affected by not getting enough (turned around: all the benefits to keeping up hydration) - and perhaps continually reminding as you encourage drinking, maybe even posting some of them visibly, can be helpful. This includes the cleansing of toxins, and their ultimate elimination through urination. (When my mom complains that drinking water will make her have to pee, I make sure to let her know that is a GOOD thing! It is part of one of the amazing cleansing processes designed for our bodies.) I do understand that it is an annoyance, and can create some difficulties - I just try to divert her attention to the positive aspects of it. In her case, the trips to the bathroom are just about her only physical activity, too - another bonus. ;)

Beyond that, a couple of tips:

1) Medications should be given one pill at a time - for several reasons, really - but this ensures at least one of those tiny sips per pill! (But more should definitely be encouraged with medication.)

2) Keeping water in reach all the time is a given, but try making it a SMALL glass. The amount seems more manageable to them (you may be surprised by that difference alone) and the results are more measurable for those providing care.

Side notes/other potential tips:

I care for my mom 24/7, so I keep my own glass of water handy also. Periodically throughout the day, I will get her attention and say "cheers!" with my glass raised - and we both take a sip.

Also, if I've been a bit preoccupied (have slipped on monitoring/encouraging intake) and realize she has just not been drinking for a significant portion of the day, I will break out one of our colorful 2 oz. shot glasses and have her drink a "shotta watta" ;) (I literally have her down that amount while I wait.)

Water is the essence of LIFE! Peace and love to all.
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I think frugaldietitian is right. This should be discussed with a professional dietitian. Are all artificial sweeteners OK? Is sugar? Why not fruit juice? Obviously drinking enough vodka to stay hydrated would not be a healthy idea! But what about a bottle of beer now and then?

My mother's generation seemed to love Kool-Aid (or Nectar as she called it.) Would that be suitable? If so, sugar or artificial sweetener?

Is carbonation OK?

I like ice water and I don't have problems with hydration. Alcohol interferes with more than one of my medications, so I can't have a nice glass of wine with dinner, or a lovely cordial before bed. I think I deserve a special drink now and then so lately I have been taste-testing one after another of the dozens of "flavored waters" on the market. I'm keeping a list of how I rate each one. I like carbonated beverages (though I hate soda pop). The only think I look for on the label is carbohydrates (I'm diabetic) and artificial sweeteners (because my digestive track tends not to like them.)

Once you are certain what will and won't work with your mother's kidney issues, just go through a supermarket reading labels.
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