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Delirium Is The Disruption Of One 's State Of Mind Essay

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Delirium
Delirium has affected many elderly patients. Delirium is the disruption of one’s state of mind. Characteristics are: confusion, hallucinations, inability to focus, and poor memory. Delirium is often confused or misdiagnosed as dementia or depression, making it more difficult to detect. (Robnett & Chop, 2015, pp. 107-110). There are significant differences between delirium and dementia. Delirium is the disruption of one’s state of mind as where Dementia is the disruption of thinking and memory and increases over a long period of time (Torpy JM, 2010). Delirium increases and or is frequently seen with prolonged stays in the hospital and after surgery. Elderly individuals are more prone to delirium. Delirium can last from a few days to weeks. Although delirium does not last long it can reoccur which can lead to readmissions to hospital or prolonged hospital stays. It is one of the most common complications of prolonged hospital stays for the elderly over the age of 65. Twenty percent of hospital admissions, sixty percent of surgeries, and eighty percent of intensive care unit develop delirium for patients over the age of sixty-five (Harvard Health Publications Harvard Medical School, 2016).
A study conducted May 16, 2005 and ended March 25, 2006, 351 patients over the age of 65 who were recruited from General and Emergency Surgical Ward of the Unit of General, Emergency and Transplant Surgery. Looked at the increase in delirium in postoperative in the elderly

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