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Preventing Delirium

Also known as “acute confusional state”, delirium is an under-recognized problem in hospitals and nursing homes among the elderly. It often happens to the elderly when they are hospitalized, placed in a nursing home, or another unfamiliar place. Symptoms include: being disoriented, unable to concentrate, experiencing sensory misperceptions, sleep disturbances, and memory loss.

According to the Commonwealth Fund, delirium affects more than 2.3 million elderly patients every year. Delirium can result in increased morbidity, increased mortality, longer hospital stays, and a greater likelihood of needing a nursing home stay. Some estimates say that delirium accounts for more than $4 billion of Medicare costs.

The Hospital Elder Life Program (HELP), developed by Yale Researchers, works to use practical interventions to prevent delirium in hospitals to maintain cognitive function among the elderly.

There are six risk factors for delirium: cognitive impairment, sleep deprivation, immobility, visual impairment, hearing impairment, and dehydration. If your loved one is hospitalized, it is important to remember these. You can assist in preventing delirium in your loved one in a number of ways.

• Counter immobility by walking him/her at least three times a day or making sure that the nurses walk him/her.
• Reduce the need for sleep sedatives by giving him/her warm milk at night or play relaxation audiotapes.
• Keep him/her mentally active by talking about current events, doing crossword puzzles together, or playing strategy games.
• Be sure that they have their glasses and hearing aids as immediately as possible.
  • One reason elderly often become delirious is because their glasses or hearing aids are lost in the shuffle during the admission into the hospital. Being able to hear and see properly will reduce occurrence of delirium.

Taking some precautions against delirium can reduce hospital stay time and the amount of time and money spent on care.