Delirium, dementia, and post–intensive care syndrome in older adults: Knowing the differences and understanding best practices

As an occupational therapy practitioner working with older adults, understanding the differences between dementia, delirium, and post-intensive care syndrome (PICS) can be confusing. How does a clinician know how to help their patient with delirium, dementia, or both? Understanding the clinical presentation of delirium that leads to PICS, as well as the similarities and differences between delirium and dementia, will assist the OT practitioner in evaluation, intervention, and discharge planning in the intensive care unit (ICU) and post-acute settings.