Delirium care: Real-world solutions to real-world problems

Australas J Ageing. 2017 Dec;36(4):E64-E69. doi: 10.1111/ajag.12461. Epub 2017 Oct 13.

Abstract

Objectives: Implementation research into delirium care is lacking. Exploiting known practice barriers to understand what management strategies work best in delirium is a means of prioritising care interventions. A consensus approach to determining priority interventions in delirium was derived and related to reference standards in health-care practice.

Methods: A workshop of 20 experts was held at the Australasian Delirium Association conference 2016. Structured small group work, iterative ranking and a 21-member check were undertaken to (i) explore research barriers in delirium care; (ii) explore how barriers related to individual items of multicomponent interventions; and (iii) rank multicomponent interventions in relation to each statement within the newly released Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care delirium standard.

Results: Top-ranking interventions included the following: education and training, comprehensive geriatric assessment, family partnerships, individualised care and multidisciplinary engagement.

Conclusion: Delirium experts identified a minimum standard of any care intervention for delirium.

Keywords: delirium; prevention and control; therapy.

Publication types

  • Consensus Development Conference

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Consensus
  • Cooperative Behavior
  • Delirium / diagnosis
  • Delirium / psychology
  • Delirium / therapy*
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Evidence-Based Medicine / standards*
  • Geriatric Assessment
  • Geriatrics / education
  • Geriatrics / standards*
  • Humans
  • Interdisciplinary Communication
  • Middle Aged
  • Patient Care Team / standards
  • Patient-Centered Care / standards
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Professional-Family Relations