Delirium

Topics include:

• What is delirium?
• Epidemiology
• Differential diagnosis
• Delirium management

Target audience

All health professionals who work with older adults who may have delirium.

Purpose

Update health professionals on the syndrome of delirium, ensuring the appropriate application of prevention, assessment and management strategies to improve outcomes of care.

Need

Delirium is an acute disorder of attention and cognition that affects as many as 50% of the older population (those aged 65 years or older). Delirium is common, serious, costly, under-recognised, and frequently results in institutionalisation and death.
Delirium has been likened to a cognitive superbug penetrating all healthcare environments, spreading across acute care, residential aged care and the community.
Delirium Guidelines indicate delirium is easier to prevent than to treat and that 30—40% of delirium cases are preventable. This Course examines delirium indicators and the subsequent poor outcomes, which justifies health professionals to ask, does my older patient have delirium?