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Delirium in the LA Times

LA Times covers this under diagnosed medical problem this week in the Health section (requires free registration to view; need to view in the next week because it will be archived). Interventions include the following:
    In a March 1999 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, Inouye showed that several simple changes reduced delirium by 40% among 852 hospitalized, non-ICU patients 70 and older. For example, the program reduced the use of sleeping pills by having volunteers provide back rubs, relaxation tapes, warm milk and tea. Other interventions included providing cognitive stimulation through games, discussion of current events and memory aids designed to jog recollections; by helping get patients out of bed and walking three times daily; by improving surroundings to minimize sleep disruptions, and by giving enough fluids to prevent dehydration.

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