A Family-Focused Delirium Educational Initiative With Practice and Research Implications

Christina May Paulson, Todd Monroe, Graham J. McDougall,, Donna M. Fick

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

18 Scopus citations

Abstract

Delirium is burdensome and psychologically distressing for formal and informal caregivers, yet family caregivers often have very little understanding or knowledge about delirium. As part of a large multisite intervention study, the Early Nurse Detection of Delirium Superimposed on Dementia (END-DSD), the authors identified a need for family educational materials. This educational initiative’s purpose was to develop a delirium admission brochure for family members to aid in the prevention and earlier identification of delirium during hospitalization. A brochure was developed using an iterative approach with an expert panel. Following three iterations, a final brochure was approved. The authors found that an iterative expert consensus approach can be used to develop a brochure for families. Major content areas were helping families understand the difference between delirium and dementia, signs and symptoms of delirium, causes of delirium, and strategies family members can use to prevent delirium. A caregiver-focused educational brochure is one intervention to use in targeting older adults hospitalized with delirium.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)4-11
Number of pages8
JournalGerontology and Geriatrics Education
Volume37
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2 2016

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Education
  • Geriatrics and Gerontology

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