Delirium – Not all confusion is Dementia

Delirium is defined as a transient, usually reversible, cause of cerebral dysfunction and manifests clinically with a wide range of neuropsychiatric abnormalities. It can occur at any age, but it occurs more commonly in patients who are elderly and have compromised mental status.

Not all confusion in people with dementia is caused by the underlying neurological condition causing their dementia.

Other common causes of confusion in elderly people are depression, delirium and drug toxicity. However, people with dementia are at a risk of experiencing delirium because they have one or more predisposing factors that increase the likelihood of delirium occurring.

The WA Dementia Training Study Centre (WA DTSC) and WA Country Health Service (WACHS) recorded the video conference information session to provide information and training to health professionals on ‘Delirium’.

The presentation provides practical information which can easily be adopted by health professionals caring for people with dementia in acute, residential or community settings.

A WA DTSC video conference presentation by Dr Sean Maher, Geriatrician, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital and Medical Director, Alzheimer’s Australia WA.

View the video presentation

Download the presentation (PowerPoint as pdf – 1644 Kb)