Differentiating Delirium Versus Dementia in Older Adults

Overview

4.7 out of 5 (50 Reviews)

Credits

1.00

Post-Assessment Questions

8

Start Date

1 Sep 2023

Last Review Date

17 Jun 2026

Expiration Date

31 Aug 2026

Estimated Time To Finish

60 Minutes


 
Need Help?  If you have a system or content concerns, please contact support@statpearls.com

Activity Description

Cognitive impairment in older adults commonly presents as delirium, dementia, or delirium superimposed on dementia, creating diagnostic and management challenges with significant implications for morbidity and mortality. This course explores the complexities surrounding the early and accurate differentiation between delirium and dementia in older adults, with delirium representing an acute, fluctuating disturbance in attention and awareness often triggered by underlying medical conditions, whereas dementia reflects a chronic, progressive neurodegenerative decline affecting multiple cognitive domains as well as the overlapping features of these conditions, atypical presentations, and frequent coexistence contribute to underrecognition, with missed delirium associated with worse clinical outcomes and increased mortality. Participants will gain an understanding of a structured approach to differentiating these conditions through clinical assessment and the use of validated screening tools, risk factors and precipitating causes, and timely, evidence-based management strategies to improve diagnostic accuracy, patient safety, and clinical outcomes. This activity for healthcare professionals is designed to enhance the learner's competence in distinguishing delirium and dementia in older adults, performing the recommended evaluation, and implementing an appropriate interprofessional approach essential for effective management and improved outcomes in older patients with altered mental status.


Target Audience

This activity has been designed to meet the educational needs of physicians, physician associates, nurses, pharmacists, nurse practitioners, and social workers.

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this activity, the learner will be better able to:

  • Identify the diagnostic criteria that help to differentiate dementia and delirium in older adults.

  • Assess patients with altered mental status using a systematic approach that prioritizes identification of underlying medical etiologies.

  • Implement appropriate management for delirium and dementia in older adult patients.

  • Apply effective strategies to improve care coordination among interprofessional team members to facilitate positive outcomes for older patients by accurately distinguishing between delirium and dementia.

Disclosures

StatPearls, LLC requires everyone who influences the content of an educational activity to disclose relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies that have occurred within the past 24 months. Ineligible companies are organizations whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients. All relevant conflict(s) of interest have been mitigated. Hover over contributor names for financial disclosures. Others involved in planning this educational activity have no relevant financial relationships to disclose.

Commercial Support: This activity has received NO commercial support.

Continuing Education Accreditation Information

In support of improving patient care, StatPearls, LLC is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.


As a Jointly Accredited Organization, StatPearls, LLC is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. StatPearls, LLC maintains responsibility for this course. Social workers completing this course receive 1.00 continuing education credits.

Social Workers: StatPearls, LLC designates this continuing education activity for 1.00 ASWB ACE credit(s) for social workers. Social Workers should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Please consult your professional licensing board for information on the applicability and acceptance of continuing education credit for this activity.

Method of Participation and Credit

  1. Register for the activity.    
  2. Review the target audience, learning objectives, and disclosure information.
  3. Study the educational content of the enduring material.
  4. Choose the best answer to each activity test question. To receive credit and a certificate, you must pass the test questions with a minimum score of 100%.
  5. Complete the post-activity assessment survey.

If you have concerns regarding the CE/CME system, please contact support@statpearls.com.

Disclaimer

This educational activity was planned and produced in accordance with the ACCME Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education. Faculty may discuss investigational products or off-label uses of products regulated by the FDA. Readers should verify all information before employing any therapies described in this educational activity.

The information provided for this activity is for continuing education purposes only and is not meant to substitute for the independent medical/clinical judgment of a healthcare provider relative to diagnostic and treatment options of a specific patient’s medical condition. The information presented does not necessarily reflect the views of StatPearls or any commercial supporters of educational activities on statpearls.com. StatPearls expressly disclaims responsibility for any adverse consequences resulting directly or indirectly from information in the course, for undetected error, or through a participant's misunderstanding of the content.

Unapproved Uses of Drugs/Devices: In accordance with FDA requirements, the audience is advised that information presented in this continuing education activity may contain references to unlabeled or unapproved uses of drugs or devices. Please refer to the FDA-approved package insert for each drug/device for full prescribing/utilization information.

Cancellation Policy: Please see the cancellation policy. StatPearls, LLC reserves the right to cancel any course due to unforeseen circumstances.

 

 
 

Reviews

John L. on 10/2/2021

Michael A. on 8/26/2022

Daniel R. on 11/28/2022

Rita M. on 12/28/2022

JOSE P. on 2/8/2023

Daniel C. on 4/12/2023

on 4/17/2023

Arash S. on 4/22/2023

Peter M. on 6/12/2023

Jason L. on 8/28/2023

Patricia L. on 9/9/2023

Karen K. on 10/21/2023

Jennifer L. on 11/12/2023

John P. on 12/21/2023

Kristine R. on 4/13/2024

Kate J. on 4/21/2024

Anne C. on 5/10/2024

Azzam A. on 5/11/2024

Judith H. on 5/15/2024

Rex M. on 7/5/2024

ishvar p. on 8/12/2024

angela m. on 9/23/2024

Nichole W. on 10/1/2024

Jeffrey F. on 10/26/2024

Roshni P. on 11/16/2024

Kathleen M. on 12/31/2024

Daniel C. on 2/12/2025

Gabriella G. on 8/14/2025

Florence C. on 3/13/2025

Waquar S. on 3/21/2025

mylen b. on 5/25/2025

mack s. on 6/16/2025

Kathleen B. on 8/25/2025

Ihab A. on 8/27/2025

Stacy B. on 9/11/2025

Kayla Y. on 9/15/2025

Edwin R. on 10/21/2025

Amy P. on 10/29/2025

SUZANNA S. on 11/4/2025

Luis C. on 11/29/2025

Adel H. on 1/2/2026

Carmen H. on 5/1/2026

Christopher F. on 2/1/2026

Elizabeth H. on 2/12/2026

Mary H. on 2/26/2026

Brenna M. on 2/28/2026

Daniel C. on 3/24/2026

Marissa M. on 4/16/2026

Holly G. on 4/27/2026

Manuel M. on 5/14/2026

Unlimited Social Worker CE

Stay up to date on the latest medical knowledge with 219 CE activities. In these online self-assessment activities, read our reference articles and test your knowledge with more than 316.5 hours of CE.

1 Year Unlimited Social Worker CE

Access to all the Unlimited Social Worker CE activities.

$49 per 1 year per user