Follow
Share

Hi, first post here, have gotten a lot of helpful info, thank you. Hoping the delirium might ease, only her second day home. She is so confused, restless, garbled speech, doesn't know she is home. Asking abt her parents. Eating a little and drinking fluids. Caregiver trying to keep her normal routine. Profound hypotension when paramedics arrived, hosp. Doc said she had gastroenteritis. In hosp for 2 days. Anyone else have experience with post hospital delirium and how long/if it improved? Thank you.

Find Care & Housing
I haven't had experience with hospital delirium, but I know it's a thing. My understanding is that it should only last a few days to weeks, no more than 2 weeks. I think it's good you are trying to keep a consistent routine, her "normal" routine. That should help her to re-assimilate to her home environment.

She already has vascular dementia, so it's normal for her to have some confusion.
As Geaton points out, it could be a total unknown, given your friend's current medical condition, as we all are unique.
Helpful Answer (1)
Reply to CaringWifeAZ
Report

I have seen this when people are in the active dying process and it’s about 3-5 days before actual death.

Edited: I thought hosp was hospice. But I’ll keep this post here.
Helpful Answer (1)
Reply to southernwave
Report

Yes, I do have experience with that. The answer with dementia is always... it depends. It happened twice for us. For my mom, who also had vascular dementia, when she came home from her hospital visits, the delirium improved, but each time the dementia had progressed as a result of the episodes of delirium. Each time the delerium lasted a few days, slowly diminishing over a few days. The second time took longer than the first time to resolve itself. Routine is really important. Everyone is different, but I hope those helps.

The best resource I found: Positive Approach to Care. Website = www.teepasnow.com
Helpful Answer (0)
Reply to Msjhoff
Report
vannysgram2 Dec 30, 2025
She is still quite confused but perhaps a bit less so. Keeping her in her routine, f/u with her doctor soon. For Christmas, got her the Aura photo frame and loading a lot of pics. She loved that and spent some time sitting, looking at the photos. Thank you for sharing your experience, it truly helps. I have been on teepasnows website and have found it helpful. Thanks again.
(0)
Report
Vanny, thanks for being participatory in the Forum after your answers. Given that you are I have a few questions. You call yourself "Bestie". And say you were asked by your friend to be POA. And that friend has dementia now for three years.

What is the living situation now of your friend?
Is she in home care?
Does she have family?
Is she in a facility?
Are you willing to serve as POA for placement and etc.
Is there a family anywhere in the background?

If this dementia that has worsened (and vascular WILL worsen) are you willing to continue to serve as POA for a friend?
If not, do you understand you must resign before a judge and with his/her permission so that the state can take over the complicated care of the bestie? And that once the state does take on guardianship are you aware you would have no remaining power over decisions for your friend?

That is to say, sounds like this is bad with dementia already and issue and now worsening. And it will get worse. Do you feel up to continuing as POA?
Helpful Answer (0)
Reply to AlvaDeer
Report
vannysgram2 Dec 30, 2025
Hi there, lots of questions! I have read some of your other posts and appreciate your informed and thoughtful responses. They have helped. I will support my best friend of 30 years until the end and will be involved in all stages of her care. I love her and as we always said to the other, we are joined at the hip. She has declined significantly in the past 3.5 years. There is a lot involved in being responsible for another person's safety and well being. All bases covered. Thank you for your input.
(1)
Report
See 1 more reply
Others posted that their LOs improved but my friend's Dad, who had mild dementia before his shoulder surgery, got delirium afterwards and never went back to his pre-op level of impairment. Just posting this so that you know it is a total unknown what will happen to your person and to be prepared for the worst-case scenario -- which I hope does not happen.
Helpful Answer (0)
Reply to Geaton777
Report
vannysgram2 Dec 27, 2025
Thank you. Taking steps for all outcomes.
(0)
Report
She has a live in caregiver. Hypotension at home after vomiting/diarrhea, paramedics called = to hosp, 2 nights, no surgery. All labs checked. No UTI, no other infection. Electrolytes normal. Dx: gastroenteritis. Nurses say she was restless, up and about walking the halls and "pleasantly confused." Dx with vascular dementia 3 yrs ago. Will see if she gets back to baseline (confused but less so) in the next couple days. She was very cheerful today, but confused. Thanks for the response.
Helpful Answer (1)
Reply to vannysgram2
Report

With dementia already at play, it takes little for hospital induced delirium to set in. That's what I found with my mother whenever she was hospitalized, even w/o surgery. She'd generally come out of it once she was back in familiar surroundings for a week or two. Even my dad had hospital induced delirium (without preexisting dementia) which continued into rehab. The Vicodin was partly to blame. In moms case, she was on a Scopolamine patch for bad vertigo which was causing quite a bit of her out of the ordinary delirium. Once they were both taken off the drugs of concern, the delirium subsided pretty fast.

Has your mom been put on any new meds recently which could be contributing to this issue? Thats always the first question to ask yourself in situations like this, in my experience.

Best of luck to you.
Helpful Answer (0)
Reply to lealonnie1
Report
vannysgram2 Dec 26, 2025
Thank you! No new meds, though I think they gave her Melatonin and a dose of Haldol in the hospital. Glad your parents came through and got back to "normal."
(0)
Report
Are you having Palliative or Hospice, because it sounds as though the latter is much needed; I doubt that the former will help much of anything here.
First of all, she should not have returned home in this condition unless there is someone caring for her now 24/7. Is there?
What is the plan if this doesn't go away?
What is the cause? Did she have surgery? Did her condition deteriorate radically? Have they checked for a UTI? Have they checked her sodium and potassium and done otherwise a complete electrolyte panel? I would return her to hospital via ambulance if this continues. From there Social Workers may need to work on placement, either temporarily or permanently after a complete neuro-psyc check up. But first comes a checking for the cause of this dementia. When it doesn't go away on return to the home you may well be looking at something medically induced or at something that is a permanent change in mentation, and the only ones who can tell you which are the doctors.
Helpful Answer (3)
Reply to AlvaDeer
Report

Ask a Question
Subscribe to
Our Newsletter