Prevalence and management of delirium in community dwelling older people with dementia referred to a memory clinic.

OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to measure the prevalence of delirium, its clinical features, and outcomes in older patients referred to a memory clinic. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study of 109 older outpatients with delirium referred to a memory clinic with a home care service. Delirium was diagnosed using the confusion assessment method and dementia with the DSM-5 criteria. We collected information on cognitive and functional status, mortality, institutionalization, and hospitalization during 6 months following the delirium episode. RESULTS: Delirium prevalence was 3.6%, mostly of hyperactive type. Delirium worsened functional (ADL 2.95 ± 1.95 vs. 2.16 ± 1.84) and cognitive (MMSE 13.88 ± 8.96 vs.11.0 ± 9.49) status after 6 months compared to the baseline. The mortality rate was 29.4%, and 28.3% were admitted to a long-term facility after the episode of delirium. Of these patients, more than half were hospitalized during the follow-up. Of the 109 patients with delirium, 85 were managed at home and 24 were hospitalized. Patients who were hospitalized had more severe behavioral symptoms during the delirium episode. There was no difference in mortality and institutionalization according to the home or hospital management. CONCLUSIONS: This retrospective cohort study adds novel information to the existing literature of an understudied setting and population. The study supports the need to further investigate the feasibility and efficacy of the hospital at home models for the prevention and management of delirium in a high-risk population.

Defining the characteristics of intermediate care models including transitional care: an international Delphi study.

BACKGROUND: Although there is growing utilisation of intermediate care to improve the health and well-being of older adults with complex care needs, there is no international agreement on how it is defined, limiting comparability between studies and reducing the ability to scale effective interventions. AIM: To identify and define the characteristics of intermediate care models. METHODS: A scoping review, a modified two-round electronic Delphi study involving 27 multi-professional experts from 13 countries, and a virtual consensus meeting were conducted. RESULTS: Sixty-six records were included in the scoping review, which identified four main themes: transitions, components, benefits and interchangeability. These formed the basis of the first round of the Delphi survey. After Round 2, 16 statements were agreed, refined and collapsed further. Consensus was established for 10 statements addressing the definitions, purpose, target populations, approach to care and organisation of intermediate care models. DISCUSSION: There was agreement that intermediate care represents time-limited services which ensure continuity and quality of care, promote recovery, restore independence and confidence at the interface between home and acute services, with transitional care representing a subset of intermediate care. Models are best delivered by an interdisciplinary team within an integrated health and social care system where a single contact point optimises service access, communication and coordination. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified key defining features of intermediate care to improve understanding and to support comparisons between models and studies evaluating them. More research is required to develop operational definitions for use in different healthcare systems.

The effectiveness of intermediate care including transitional care interventions on function, healthcare utilisation and costs: a scoping review.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Intermediate care describes services, including transitional care, that support the needs of middle-aged and older adults during care transitions and between different settings. This scoping review aimed to examine the effectiveness of intermediate care including transitional care interventions for middle-aged and older adults on function, healthcare utilisation, and costs. DESIGN: A scoping review of the literature was conducted including studies published between 2002 and 2019 with a transitional care and/or intermediate care intervention for adults aged ≥ 50. Searches were performed in CINAHL, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Open Grey and PubMed databases. Qualitative and quantitative approaches were employed for data synthesis. RESULTS: In all, 133 studies were included. Interventions were grouped under four models of care: (a) Hospital-based transitional care (n = 8), (b) Transitional care delivered at discharge and up to 30 days after discharge (n = 70), (c) Intermediate care at home (n = 41), and (d) Intermediate care delivered in a community hospital, care home or post-acute facility (n = 14). While these models were associated with a reduced hospital stay, this was not universal. Intermediate including transitional care services combined with telephone follow-up and coaching support were reported to reduce short and long-term hospital re-admissions. Evidence for improved ADL function was strongest for intermediate care delivered by an interdisciplinary team with rehabilitation at home. Study design and types of interventions were markedly heterogenous, limiting comparability. CONCLUSIONS: Although many studies report that intermediate care including transitional care models reduce hospital utilisation, results were mixed. There is limited evidence for the effectiveness of these services on function, institutionalisation, emergency department attendances, or on cost-effectiveness.