062 – Interview: Preventing Hospital Delirium & Maintaining Brain Health

In This Episode:

Dr. K talks with geriatrician Sharon Inouye, MD MPH, a nationally-known expert on delirium who is Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Director of the Aging Brain Center at the Institute for Aging Research, Hebrew SeniorLife. They discuss:

• What is delirium and what are common symptoms of delirium
• What are common causes of delirium, and what can make it worse
• How Dr. Inouye became interested in studying delirium
• The difference between delirium and dementia, and how the two conditions are related
• The problem with using restraints and bed alarms, when someone is delirious
• How to treat delirium, and how to keep a person safe while delirious
• How the Hospital Elder Life Program helps reduce delirium (by 40-60% in some studies!)
• Why many hospitals still don’t have a HELP program
• The most effective ways to maintain brain health while aging

Related episodes: 

039 – Interview: Creating Age-Friendly Health Systems

014 – Delirium & Hospital Confusion

Related Resources:

• Hospital Elder Life Program (HELP) for Prevention of Delirium
  • For Family Members
• 10 Things to Know About Delirium
• Hospital Delirium: What to know & do
• 7 Common Brain-Toxic Drugs Older Adults Should Use With Caution (about anticholinergics)
• Choosing Wisely: 5 More Treatments to Question in Older Adults
• National Academy of Medicine Report on Cognitive Aging
  • Action Guide for Individuals and Families
• 4 Types of Medication to Avoid if You’re Worried About Memory
• National Institute on Aging: Brain Health Resources
• The 2015 American Geriatrics Society Updated Beers Criteria: Medications that Older Adults Should Avoid or Use with Caution