Abstract
BackgroundHospital Elder Life Program (HELP) provides protocols based on factors for reducing delirium. Due to the lack of geriatric wards and aged care teams in Iran, it seems that some of the original HELP interventions need to be modified through a trial study. Hence, this study was conducted to determine whether the Iranian modified HELP could reduce delirium in geriatric hospitalized patients.MethodsThis double-blind randomized controlled trial was designed and conducted in a hospital at Kashan University of Medical Sciences in Iran. A total of 195 hospitalized patients aged ≥70 years, were 84 in the Intervention Group (IG) and 111 in the Control Group (CG). After assessing delirium risk factors, participants in the IG group received interventions based on the cognitive, vision/hearing, sleep, mobility, feeding, and hydration protocols by nursing students and the CG group received routine care.Delirium incidence was assessed by the Confusion Assessment Method. Delirium incidence, cognitive and functional abilities, frailty, fall, and length of stay were outcomes.ResultsThe mean age of the patients was 78.53(Standard Deviation = 5.87) years. Delirium incidence was higher in the CG comparing to IG (14.71% vs 3.66%).Significant reduction observed in risk incidence of delirium because of interventions [Odds Ratio:0.124, Confidence Interval: 0.03–0.48].ConclusionThe modified HELP effectively reduced delirium rates in geriatric hospitalized patients.Trial registrationThis study was registered at the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials IRCT20180910040995N1.
Highlights
Hospital Elder Life Program (HELP) provides protocols based on factors for reducing delirium
Delirium incidence was higher in the Control Group (CG) comparing to Intervention Group (IG) (14.71% vs 3.66%).Significant reduction observed in risk incidence of delirium because of interventions [Odds Ratio:0.124, Confidence Interval: 0.03–0.48]
In this study, 220 geriatric patients were evaluated for eligibility
Summary
Hospital Elder Life Program (HELP) provides protocols based on factors for reducing delirium. Due to the lack of geriatric wards and aged care teams in Iran, it seems that some of the original HELP interventions need to be modified through a trial study. This study was conducted to determine whether the Iranian modified HELP could reduce delirium in geriatric hospitalized patients. Delirium is a common geriatric syndrome that affects one-third of the hospitalized elderly patients [4]. Standard treatments under medical conditions may be difficult due to the development of delirium [7]; so, primary prevention could be the most efficient strategy to decrease. Implementing the multicomponent interventions’ with help of an interdisciplinary aged care team could be an effective strategy to prevent delirium; because the members of aged care teams recognize the multifactorial etiology of delirium [11] Kojaie‐Bidgoli et al BMC Geriatr (2021) 21:599 delirium, since at least 30 to 40% of delirium cases are preventable [8, 9] and the prevention of delirium is preferred to its treatment [10].
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
