What can you do to help?
If you think someone has delirium, tell a healthcare professional. This could be their GP or their healthcare team if they are in hospital. There are a few things you could do to try and make the situation more comfortable for them while they wait for treatment.
- Keep calm and reassure the person.
- Use short simple sentences when talking.
- Look out for any signs of pain.
- Make sure they can see and hear OK. Have they their glasses and hearing aid to hand if they need them?
- Show them things like familiar photos and objects to take their mind off things. This also makes them feel safer.
- Bring them back to the here and now by making sure they know the time and date.
- Help them find the toilet if needed.
- Avoid too much stimulation and having too many people around, if possible.
- Keep a low light on at night.
- Don’t disagree with the person too much; change the subject if they come out with ideas that seem odd to you.
- Make sure they have enough to drink.
Delirium can be prevented and treated
Suspect it
Delirium is more likely if the person
- Is 75 or over.
- Has a cognitive impairment.
- Has sight issues or hearing loss.
- Is infected.
- Is in pain or suffering from a trauma.
- Is dehydrated.
Spot it
Some things to look out for.
- Have they suddenly become very confused?
- Do they have problems concentrating?
- Do they have problems making themselves understood?
- Are they acting differently from normal?
- Are they seeing or hearing things?
- Fluctuations.
Stop it
Make sure that
- What causes their delirium is treated.
- You explain what is happening, especially if it is a strange place like a hospital.
- Give them reassurance.
- Their physical needs are met, for example they’re getting enough water.
- Any psychological needs are met, for example they understand what happened and that they’ll be OK.
- Their social needs are met, for example they can talk to people and hear what they’re saying.
Final message about delirium awareness
Video
Watch the following video about being delirium ready. It has some good examples of how to spot, manage and prevent delirium.