Did you know that simply being 65+ and hospitalized puts you at risk for developing delirium?
The risk is even higher for individuals with cognitive impairments. Unfortunately, delirium is often missed and misdiagnosed, especially in patients with dementia.
During my hospital career, I witnessed firsthand how delirium was frequently mistaken for dementia. Proper training and education in delirium assessment and prevention can make a world of difference in patient outcomes.
At first, I am skeptical. Really? Age and being in the hospital are two factors that increase the risk? I allowed that skepticism to drive me to research using Perplexity. Turns out, there’s some meat to that claim my sister made. Skeptic no longer. Read the results:
“Research consistently demonstrates that elderly hospitalized patients face significantly elevated delirium risk, with prevalence rates ranging from 20% to over 50% depending on the setting and patient population. This report synthesizes evidence from multiple systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and observational studies to conclusively falsify the stated hypothesis, demonstrating that advanced age combined with hospitalization constitutes a significant and well-documented risk factor for the development of delirium. The evidence presents a clear picture: being 65 or older and hospitalized substantially increases a person's vulnerability to this acute cognitive condition with its associated negative outcomes.” (Click here for the full report)
Also admittedly, I witnessed hospital delirium first hand — it’s not pretty. I am beyond proud that my sister is engaging in work that matters.