Assessment and Treatment Strategies for Dementia, Delirium, and Depression

Description

One in four patients admitted to an acute care hospital have dementia. Delirium superimposed on those patients accounts for 65% of cases diagnosed with delirium. Thirty percent of all older adults have a diagnosis of depression at any given time. These diagnoses frequently occur together and often are mistaken for one another. Therapists working with older adults will treat patients with these diagnoses more often than one would think, so it is important they be prepared to properly assess patients with one or more of these issues to optimize treatment planning. This course will examine each diagnosis, discuss the similarities and differences of the three, and provide guidelines for treatments.

Highlights

• Distinguish between dementia, delirium and depression when occur simultaneously in patients
• Treatment plans that incorporate the components of each process to improve outcomes
• Communication strategies for patients with impaired cognition

Learning Objectives

1. Distinguish the difference in presentation between dementia, delirium, and depression.
2. Demonstrate one treatment each for dementia, delirium, and depression.
3. Examine how the presence of delirium increases the likelihood of a poor treatment outcome.
4. Characterize the relationship between dementia, delirium, depression, and hospitalization.

Course Content