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Preventing delirium in hospitalized older adults involves multicomponent nonpharmacologic interventions, such as the Hospital Elder Life Program (HELP), that target six delirium risk factors (i.e., cognitive impairment, sleep deprivation, immobility, visual impairment, hearing impairment, and dehydration). Although HELP reduces delirium rates compared with usual care (10% vs. 15%), implementation of the program requires substantial resource utilization (NEJM JW Gen Med Apr 1 1999 and N Engl J Med 1999; 340:669).
Researchers at one hospital in China assessed the value of adding protocols onto the original HELP program and tailoring them specifically to each patient's risk profile with assistance from family members or family paid caregivers (…