Occupational Therapy Intervention on the Prevention of Delirium and Occupational Performance Status in Elderly Patients

Delirium is an acute, fluctuating, transient, and usually reversible disorder of cognition and level of consciousness, with a high incidence in critical care units, especially in the elderly. Its occurrence leads to unfavorable outcomes such as increased length of stay, morbidity, functional and cognitive decline, increased mortality, and healthcare costs, in addition to being emotionally challenging for family members and caregivers. Although there are instruments and interventions for screening, prevention, and management, it remains underdiagnosed and undertreated. Among non-pharmacological interventions, the role of Occupational Therapy (OT) has been highlighted in the literature for promising results, such as reducing delirium incidence and duration, as well as improving functional outcomes at hospital discharge. OT protocols described in the literature vary in their frequency and intensity of care, as well as in the composition of their interventions. This research aims to test the hypothesis that a protocol composed of interventions based on meaningful occupations and personalized cognitive stimulation with patient-interest themes may reduce delirium incidence and improve occupational performance in elderly patients admitted to critical care units, compared to the standard protocol.