Abstract
Delirium is an acute change in attention and other cognitive functions, which may also include altered consciousness and disorganized thinking. Delirium is a direct result of an underlying medical condition that occurs when the brain is overwhelmed by stressors in the body and environment. While all are susceptible to delirium, the elderly and those with cognitive impairment are at heightened risk. Delirium may present as a short-term reversible condition or persist for months and is often associated with long-term negative medical and functional outcomes. This chapter highlights the importance of delirium risk identification and present methods for risk identification and a standardized treatment protocol to reduce the incidence or mitigate complications using an empirically studied intervention program. Delirium risk identification, prevention, and treatment can hinder the long-term medical, functional, and cost outcomes associated with this common syndrome.
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Rudolph, J.L., Archambault, E., Budd, M.A. (2017). Delirium: Risk Identification, Mitigation, and Intervention. In: Budd, M., Hough, S., Wegener, S., Stiers, W. (eds) Practical Psychology in Medical Rehabilitation. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-34034-0_26
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-34034-0_26
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