Delirium

Objective screenings tend to improve delirium diagnoses
November 06, 2017Nurses and others who screen hospital patients for delirium tend to disagree on the diagnosis, according to a longitudinal study of three centers in the Netherlands.
Non-drug interventions reduce delirium: study
February 03, 2015Providers could reduce rates of delirium and its attendant injuries from falls and save the healthcare system $10 billion a year if they practiced better interventions, according to a new study.

Dreams or delirium? Why making the right call is important
May 27, 2014As they approach death, people often are transported across time and space to be reunited with loved ones and relive meaningful moments. They do so in dreams and visions, which frequently are a source of great comfort, according to a recently published study. But nursing home and hospice caregivers might not be so comfortable with these dreams — which could lead to patients experiencing less peaceful deaths.

Delirium can hurt survey results
March 10, 2014Delirium can be deadly if not diagnosed and treated. If that should occur, we all know that an Immediate Jeopardy citation is just around the corner. Don't let that happen to you and your residents.

Delirium: The meaning behind the behavior
December 11, 2013Behaviors are kind of like figuring out a mystery sometimes. And what helped stop a behavior today does not mean it will necessarily work tomorrow. And what may have caused the behavior today may be far more indicative of a serious medical issue - as is the case with delirium — tomorrow.

Depression, Dementia or Delirium: Which "D" is it?
November 13, 2013Mr. Andrews was listless this morning, staring at his food as if he didn't know what to do with it. Normally he eats a big breakfast and jokes with the staff about his ability to eat a lot and not gain weight. He urinated in the bed, something he has never done. His caregivers wonder what could be going on with Mr. Andrews. Is he depressed? He did lose his wife 3 months ago. Is he starting to get dementia?
Kill inpatient rule, use functional criteria to determine Medicare coverage for skilled nursing, leading geriatrician says
September 17, 2013The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services should consider providing Medicare skilled nursing coverage for a person with certain functional limitations, regardless of whether that person has been hospitalized, according to a new "Viewpoint" article in Journal of the American Medical Association.
Common antipsychotic fails as effective delirium treatment, study finds
August 22, 2013Haloperidol, a common antipsychotic, is no more effective than a placebo in treating delirium in critically ill patients, according to a new study.
New tool identifies at-risk seniors for delirium
August 15, 2013A new delirium detection tool could reduce hospital-to-nursing home transfers and help identify at-risk seniors, researchers say.
Delirium in seniors linked to higher risk of dementia, study finds
August 13, 2012Seniors who have experienced episodes of delirium have a significant risk of developing dementia, new research suggests.
Adverse events in older adults are underreported in hospitals, report says
January 09, 2012Adverse events for Medicare beneficiaries are underreported in hospitals, where incident reporting systems only capture about 14% of errors, according to a government report released Friday.
More research and better diagnostics are needed to treat delirium, researchers say
November 21, 2011Providers and researchers need to do more to treat and prevent the onset of delirium in older adults, a new study reports. The condition is known to be a predictor of decreased lifespan and increased healthcare costs.
Study: Falls not linked to physical activity
October 31, 2011Elderly hospital patients who fell while in a hospital did not walk around any more than patients who did not fall, a new study reports.
Delirium affects more elderly, results in more nursing home admissions
June 24, 2010Up to one-third of elderly hospital patient experience delirium, which can lead to lengthier hospital stays or nursing home admissions, according to recent news items.
Effective delirium treatments continue to elude researchers
July 10, 2009Delirium during hospitalization affects up to seven million adults every year, increases the likelihood of needing post-acute or nursing home care and doubles a patient's risk of death. And, according to a new study, there is no way to prevent or treat it.