Non-pharmacological management for delirium

Delirium, an acute decline in attention and cognition, is a common life-threatening, and potentially preventable clinical syndrome among persons who are 65 years of age or older.1 Prevalence is highest among those who are frail or patients who are critically unwell or at the end of life. Over the age of 80 years, more than one third of those in hospital will experience delirium.2 The cause of delirium is typically multifactorial. In fact, the development of delirium involves the complex interrelationship between a vulnerable patient (with a predisposing factor) and exposure to precipitating factors or noxious insults.3 some of the main predisposing factors are: age of 65 or older, dementia, cognitive impairment and functional dependence, visual and hearing impairment and coexisting medical conditions. And precipitating factors such as: Drugs, primary neurologic diseases, infections, severe acute illness, dehydratation, surgery, use of physical restraints, use of catheters.1–3