Caregiver and Patient Experiences: Identifying and Responding to Delirium

          Denver, CO – May 14, 2024. Caregivers and patients can struggle to identify the cause of mental confusion and disorientation that is common among loved ones over the age of 65. Being unaware of critical time-sensitive decisions related to the treatment of delirium can pose negative consequences for aging parents or spouses.  

One day, Mom or Dad is doing great. The next day, they seem confused, are unable to follow a conversation, or are too weak to get out of bed. Persons with Alzheimer's or dementia may have hallucinations—seeing people not there, hearing voices, or believing someone is trying to harm them.

These events can be frightening for the person experiencing delirium and for the caregiver who may not recognize the importance of sending a loved one to the emergency room for treatment. Older adults living alone may be too weak or confused to call 911.

Advocating for Family Members Living in Community Care Settings

Like those living at home, family members living in care communities can experience similar rapid changes in their health. Without explicit instructions to immediately call 911, care community staff may hesitate or make faulty assumptions about the seriousness of health conditions.

According to Wilson, "In my experience, care staff at assisted living, memory care, or nursing homes can be equally confused about the seriousness of delirium. When I was professionally managing care, a nursing home called me to advise that my client should be placed on hospice care because she was seeing her dead husband and son.

They refused to send her to the hospital emergency room for treatment because they thought she was actively dying. Because I was the client's guardian, I had the legal authority—without the agreement of the nursing home staff—to send my client to the hospital, where a urinary tract infection was diagnosed and treated.

A family member in the same situation without legal authority or the confidence to advocate might not have successfully directed community care staff to call 911. If not, their loved one would have unnecessarily died as the infection quickly progressed to sepsis. Events like these happen more often than one might imagine."

Wilson Supports Family Caregivers and Patients to Gain Confidence Managing Unexpected Situations

Delirium can result from infections or other health conditions like dehydration, low blood sugar, thyroid problems, or medication interactions. The best step that a caregiver can take is to seek immediate medical care for a loved one instead of delaying.  

Identifying delirium-related and other chronic health conditions can help family caregivers or patients learn to manage ongoing care. Wilson's online family caregiver support programs, 1:1 consultations, and speaking events help caregivers and patients gain confidence in managing health conditions and coordinating care with healthcare providers.

Wilson's Online and In Person Caregiver and Patient Support Programs Offer the Confidence to Advocate

Wilson is a caregiving expert with over twenty years of lived experience supporting caregivers and care receivers. Through information on her website, online courses, YouTube Channel, 1:1 consultations, and speaking events, she provides practical, detailed step-by-step education and instructions to guide professional and family caregivers and adults facing change in health and uncertainty about the future.  

Learn more about Pamela at www.pameladwilson.com.

CONTACT: Pamela D. Wilson +1 303-810-1816 Email:   Inquiry_For_Pamela@pameladwilson.com

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