Distinguishing between dementia and delirium Many health professionals are unsure of the difference between dementia and delirium, or delirium and mental illness generally. If they observe an older...

Distinguishing between dementia and delirium

Many health professionals are unsure of the difference between dementia and delirium, or delirium and mental illness generally. If they observe an older person with symptoms of a delirium they automatically label them as ‘demented’ or ‘mad’

Questions

1 What factors may have led to this attitude in health professionals? 2 Why is it important that health professionals can pick the difference between a delirium and dementia? 3 As a health professional, what can you do to ensure that you can identify the difference between a delirium and dementia, and delirium or other mental illness?