Delirium in the elderly.

noted. Delirium is especially common in nursing homes after brief hospital admissions because the average length of duration of the delirium is 21 days, while the average hospital length of stay at most general medical hospitals is approximately five days. Therefore, many patients are being discharged to nursing homes while still delirious. In one study, 72% of 214 patients in nursing homes who were hospitalized for delirium still had delirium at the time of discharge back to the nursing home. The delirium persisted for 55% of the patients at one month and 25% at three months after discharge. The rates of delirium in patients who are ill and elderly, but cared for at home are much lower, than for those treated in the hospital.