“Delirium” prevention is important For Your Safe Stay

“Delirium” prevention is important

Do you know what “Delirium” is?

“Delirium” is a state of confused consciousness caused by a sudden change in environment, physical condition, or mental or physical strain due to surgery, tests, or medication adjustments.
“Delirium” includes the following symptoms.
Have trouble sleeping at night
Fidgety and restless
Become agitated
Feeling light-headed
(decreased activity)
Loss of awareness
of the current situation
(difficulty in making sense
of conversations)
Memory is unclear
Visual or auditory
hallucinations
【！】Not only are these symptoms emotionally stressful, but they can also lead to the patient removing the IV or other tubes from their body, which are important for treatment, leading to a fall, etc.
Unlike dementia, it develops suddenly and is usually transient, although it varies from person to person. The onset of the disease may also be preventable.

The characteristics of people likely to develop “Delirium”

  • Those who are 70 years old or older
  • Those with dementia or those who are usually forgetful
  • Those who have had the symptoms shown in the above picture before due to hospitalization
  • Those who have had a cerebral infarction or cerebral hemorrhage
  • Those who take sleeping pills internally
  • Those who drink a lot of alcohol every day

Prevention of “Delirium”

  • Preparation in advance may prevent or reduce delirium.

Preparation before hospitalization

  • Try to be physically prepared as much as possible, and if you are a heavy drinker, try to reduce the amount of alcohol you drink. (It is preferable to abstain from alcohol if possible)
  • In preparation for hospitalization, please take into consideration the following.

After hospitalization

Measures to ease anxiety and confusion

  • Keep calendars and clocks in visible positions to have a sense of time.
  • Maintain a rhythm of day and night, and stay awake during the day.
  • Use glasses or hearing aids so that you can better perceive your surroundings.
  • It is important to get rid of uncomfortable symptoms such as pain, constipation, or difficulty sleeping. Please do not put up with it and consult with us as soon as possible for any help you may need.

When delirium occurs....

We will work with the psychiatric team to treat delirium. We  will adjust medications and the therapeutic environment.
We ask for the cooperation of the patient's family members, as their encouragement and support are very effective.