It’s not uncommon for caregivers to be concerned about mental status changes in their hospitalized older relatives. Hospitals are highly artificial environments that can turn normal routines upside down: sleep is disrupted, strangers come and go, medications may be abruptly altered, all leading to disorientation, confusion and delirium in older patients. In over 200 hospitals around the country, there is a program called HELP (Hospital Elder Life Program) that works to identify patients who may be at risk and to prevent the often dire consequences of this delirium. To learn more about this program and for tips about how to protect your loved ones in such circumstances, Read This.