Be aware of delirium

Delirium is a state of unrest, most often seen in the sick and elderly who are already weakened by illness, and is frequently seen during the last stages before death. The condition is serious and must be treated as soon as possible.

If you as the relative of a terminally ill patient experience that the person becomes confused, uneasy, unclear or hallucinates, they may be experiencing the condition called delirium. The condition can fluctuate at any time, where the person's condition changes between being calm to being aggressive, talking nonsense and perhaps trying to get out of bed. It's usually worse in the evening and at night.

The condition may be very serious for the patient, and the condition must be treated as soon as possible. There can be many different causes of the condition: It could for example be bladder infection, a full bladder or pain, but the cause is often unclear.

Upon signs of unrest and delirium, it is important to contact the home-care nurse or doctor. And if there is a trigger, it should be treated. Therefore, it may be necessary to hospitalise or administer a sedative.

As a relative, it is important to be prepared in case the condition arises. It can be very scary because you can't recognise the person at all nor can you predict how he or she will behave.

If it is resolved whether the cause is for example inflammation etc., then you as a relative should alleviate the situation by removing as many things as possible that can cause the patient unrest. In other words, you should try to create tranquillity, try to maintain a natural daily pace, and surround the patient with friends and family.