Sharon Inouye, Hartford Grantee, Featured on Boston NPR Station on Delirium
In the recent article “Delirious: Study finds simple, humane, fixes for aged, disoriented patients” from WBUR, the National Public Radio's Boston station, Hartford grantee Sharon Inouye spoke about delirium in older Americans. The article was published following the release of a Journal of the American Medical Association study last week where Inouye was one of seven co-authors. The study suggested possible ways by which delirium could be prevented.
In the recent article “Delirious: Study finds simple, humane, fixes for aged, disoriented patients” from WBUR, the National Public Radio's Boston station, Hartford grantee Sharon Inouye spoke about delirium in older Americans. The article was published following the release of a Journal of the American Medical Association study last week where Inouye was one of seven co-authors. The study suggested possible ways by which delirium could be prevented.
Delirium is a complicated syndrome, most common among the hospitalized elderly where it’s estimated 29 to 64 percent of patients have it. However, it is underreported and researchers estimate as many as two-thirds of cases go undiagnosed.
But helping delirious patients is more than just addressing a syndrome, it’s helping us treat patients better in hospitals, says Inouye.
“I think delirium…it’s a barometer of how well an older person is doing in the healthcare system,” she says. “When delirium develops it’s a sign that we’re not doing well by that patient.”
That’s why no matter what treatments may come, Inouye says she’s a big supporter of TLC: “We need to re-attune to these really humanistic parts of care and not forget about how important they are.”
In addition to being a Hartford grantee, Inouye is the developer of the HELP program and director of the Aging Brain Center at Hebrew Senior Life.
To read the full article, head over to the WBUR website.