Care home dehydration tests don't work

(University of East Anglia) Carers often use simple tests to see if an older person is dehydrated. These include looking at their eyes, skin, or asking if someone feels thirsty, tired or has a headache. But new research finds that these tests do not accurately identify dehydration in older people, when compared against 'gold standard' blood tests. The researchers recommend that they are withdrawn from practice.