Community Service as Patients' Tutor to Avoid Delirium

Area of Science:

• Geriatric Medicine
• Trauma Surgery
• Patient Care Innovation

Background:

• Elderly trauma patients (over 70) are at high risk for comorbidities and delirium.
• Delirium affects 15-30% of these patients, increasing mortality risk by 15-25%.
• Conversation, attention, and activity are proven methods to mitigate delirium risk.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a new visiting service project aimed at preventing delirium and anxiety in elderly inpatients.
• To assess the impact of trained welfare program volunteers providing daily care and companionship.

Main Methods:

• Volunteers provided approximately one hour of daily interaction per patient.
• Activities included accompanying patients, explaining procedures, reading, conversing, and listening.
• Volunteers received training, attended team meetings, and documented patient interactions.

Main Results:

• No patients in the program developed delirium across four hospitals.
• Patient and volunteer satisfaction with the care was high.
• A significant reduction in patient calls to nursing staff was observed, easing their workload.

Conclusions:

• Volunteer patient attendants offer an innovative solution to care for delirium-prone patients, especially amid healthcare staffing shortages.
• This volunteer support system effectively reduces nursing staff workload and improves patient outcomes.
• The program demonstrates the value of non-clinical support in geriatric trauma care.