Relationships – Understanding Confusion in an Aging Parent

The elderly do not get "senile" due to old age. Medically, this is called sudden or dreaded arrival of confusion or delirium. The incidence of delirium or confusion in hospitalized elderly patients from 80 years old and above varies from 35-50 percent. Delirium is generally viewed as puzzlement to space and time.

Acute confusion or delirium is temporary, have an unexpected onset and can be identifiable by numerous inappropriate behaviors.

The behaviors related with delirium can include sleep disturbances, inattentiveness, hallucinations, disjointed speech and other obvious changes in the central functioning of the nervous system.

Confusion and dementia

A confused elder does not essentially have dementia. Problems in clearly communicating as well as memory loss often are symptoms of dementia however one should not presume that somebody who is forgetful or confused has dementia.

Confusion is generally just one among the many signs of dementia. An elderly person with dementia most certainly will be confused sometimes, but not all the time.

There are many reasons why specifically the elderly may seem confused. In fact, nearly 20 percent of elders go through depression that may cause difficulty thinking and remembering.

Medications also can cause thinking problems. Dietary deficiencies, Drug mixes, excess consumption of alcohol as well as other factors may bring about signs similar that to dementia.

Causes

Delirium is usually brought about by depression, infection specifically urinary tract and respiratory infections and nutritional imbalances; decrease in blood pressure, dehydration, sensory overload or deprivation and drugs also can cause delirium.

Studies have established that approximately one in every three elderly persons undergoes some type of depression in their life.

1. Social isolation. Not having or lacking in social interaction as well as prolonged loneliness can bring on confusion or bizarre behavior.

2. Infections. Fever due to infections alone may be responsible for bringing about confusion.

Generally, confusion resulting from infection or fever is referred to as delirium. An elderly patient in a delirious state will appear sick and drowsy, while a frantic patient is "ready to go" and wide awake.

As elderly persons age, note that their brains can not tolerate fever well.

3. Stroke. Note that the single most notable sign that an elderly person is undergoing a stroke can be confusion, typically identified by concurrent weakness or neurological abnormality.

4. Diabetes. When the elderly person's blood sugar decreases to very low levels or in hypoglycemia they become confused.

5. Heart failure. In fact, as the heart condition worsens, the need of the elderly for oxygen also increases. Confusion happens when somebody requiring supplemental oxygen generally is not obtaining adequate amounts.

6. Drugs. A lot of drugs that are prescribed by physicians can lead or cause confusion. These medications are narcotics which are used primarily for pain, antipsylotics antidepressants used for psychiatric disorders treatment and also sleeping pills.

These medicines are often used at their recommended dosage for adults; however elderly individuals can acquire side effects even at recommended levels.

Here are some medications that may cause confusion:

* Mellaril-thioridazine

* Endep, Elavil-amitriptyline

* Elavil, Triavil, Etrafon, Endep-tricyclic antidepressants

* Sal Tropine-Limbitrol atropine

* Slo-Phyllin, Slo-Bid, Aerolate, Accurbron- theophylline

* Sleep-Eze, Benadryl, Unisom-diphenhydramine

* Actifed, Contac, Triaminic, Allerest, Tavist-containing pseudoephedrine HCL and phenylprop HCL

* Tagamet-cimetidine

* Demerol-merperidine

* Naproxen, Naprosyn- anti-inflammatory nonsterodoidal drugs

* Triazolam, Halcion- halcion

* Dalmane, Ativan, Librium, Diazepam, Restoril, Serax, Lorazepam, Valium, Tranxene, Xanax-benzidiazepines cardiovascular drugs

* Procardia, Adalat-nifedipine

* Qinaglute-quinidine

* Inderal, Betachron, Cardizem, Propranolol, Adalat, Cardene, Vasotec, Vascor, Lanoxin, Lopressor-beta blockers

7. Change in the elderly person's environment. Relocating from the elderly person's residence to a hospital or nursing home, from a nursing community to another may result in an episode of confusion.

The relocation can be considered by elderly people as a "life-threatening" event because their social group is destroyed or they struggle to adapt to their strange and new surroundings.

Note that there are various reasons for elderly persons to be confused. Some types of confusion are without difficulty curable, others are treatable while others are terminal. Therefore, there must be a careful search and assessment for a reason as soon as confusion is noticed.