She is 96 with advancing dementia and is continuing to slip in ability for self care and to remember basic processes like teeth brushing and toileting. Sometimes staff thinks she is more able to care for herself. She can’t initiate requests like asking for water. And I find her without water for hours at a time.
I found that often, staff would ask my mom if she wanted something, like water, or pain relief. My mom's usual response a question of " do you want..." was always " no" even before her aphasia and dementia. I asked that instead of staff asking, they simply put mom on a schedule of pain relief, giving drinks, etc.
At moms home they took her to the bathroom every 2 hours. Water was placed in her room but she was never there. They did give it out in the common area.