For patients, families and carers
This site explains tools used by health and care staff to look for delirium. It is not a self-test and cannot diagnose or treat anyone.
Sudden confusion needs urgent medical help
If someone suddenly becomes confused, unusually drowsy, agitated, withdrawn or unlike themselves, seek medical help immediately. In the UK, follow the NHS advice on sudden confusion. Elsewhere, use your local urgent or emergency service.
What delirium is
Delirium is a rapid change in attention, thinking or level of alertness, usually developing over hours or days. Symptoms often fluctuate. A person may be restless or distressed, but they may instead become quiet, slow or sleepy. Delirium has many possible causes and needs clinical assessment.
NICE information for the public explains the care that people with delirium should expect in hospital or long-term care.
What assessment tools do
A tool gives staff a structured way to check for features that may indicate delirium, record change or measure severity. Different tools serve different purposes and settings. A positive screen normally leads to fuller clinical assessment; a score alone does not identify the cause and may not establish the final diagnosis.
The profiles on this site describe instruments rather than reproduce all of them. Some require training or permission, and all should be used with their current instructions and local clinical guidance.
How families and carers can help
- Tell staff what the person is normally like and when the change began.
- Describe changes in attention, alertness, communication, movement, sleep, appetite or behaviour, including periods when symptoms improve.
- Bring an up-to-date medicines list and mention recent illness, falls or changes in medicines.
- Make sure staff know about hearing aids, glasses, communication needs and the person’s preferred language.
- Ask what assessment has been made, what possible causes are being considered and how progress will be reviewed.
These suggestions support communication with the clinical team; they are not a substitute for urgent assessment. NICE specifically recognises that relatives and carers may be the people who notice recent change or fluctuation.
Questions you may want to ask
- Could this change be delirium?
- What has changed from the person’s usual state?
- What possible causes are being assessed or treated?
- How will attention, alertness and symptoms be monitored?
- What can family or carers do to support orientation, reassurance and communication?
- What information and follow-up will be provided after discharge?
Further help
NHS: sudden confusion
Urgent advice, common signs and what to do while waiting for help.
NICE: care you should expect
Public information accompanying the NICE delirium guideline.
Delirium Support
Plain-language information and support material for patients and families.
About delirium assessment
A more detailed explanation of screening, diagnosis, severity and monitoring.