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Educating Family Caregivers For Older Adults About Delirium: A Systematic Review, Margaret J. Bull, Lesley Boaz, Martha G. Jermé

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Background

Delirium in older adults is considered a medical emergency; it contributes to a cascade of functional decline and to increased mortality. Early recognition of delirium symptoms is critical to prevent these negative consequences. Family caregivers who are educated about delirium could partner with nurses and other healthcare professionals in early recognition of delirium symptoms. Before implementing such partnership models, it is important to examine the effectiveness of educating family caregivers about delirium.

Aims

To examine whether providing education on delirium to family caregivers improved their knowledge, emotional state, or response in reducing the incidence of delirium in older adults. …