title: Appropriate care for older people with cognitive impairment in hospital.
abstract: More than half of the patients in adult hospitals are over 65 years of age. Although not a normal part of ageing, many older people will present to hospital with cognitive impairment (dementia or delirium) along with other complex comorbidities. Older people, and particularly those with dementia, are also at increased risk of developing delirium during their hospital stay. Delirium has serious short and long term consequences, such as increased mortality, falls, accelerated functional and cognitive decline, and earlier entry to residential care. Appropriate delirium care consists of introducing evidence-based prevention strategies for all patients at risk. For patients with delirium, it is crucial that delirium is not missed and that the underlying causes are identified and treated. Screening, assessment and a systematic workup is vital. As well as treating the underlying medical and surgical causes, the involvement of family members and a calm, safe environment are important. Patients with cognitive impairment should receive person-centred, goal-directed care so that their particular risks of harm are identified and minimised, and their care is aligned with their preferences and is medically appropriate for their circumstances. Three de-identified, composite case scenarios illustrate, respectively, the role of medicines in causing delirium, how family members can assist in evaluation, and the importance of the appropriate management of post-operative delirium.
authors.affiliation: Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney, NSW g.caplan@unsw.edu.au.
authors.forename: Gideon A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Caplan
authors.affiliation: University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW.
authors.forename: Susan E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Kurrle
authors.affiliation: Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, Sydney, NSW.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cumming
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001315:Australia; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000150:complications*; D003693:Delirium / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D003704:Dementia / Q000150:complications*; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine / Q000592:standards*; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents