Unlike dementia, which is constant and gets progressively worse, delirium tends to come and go, fluctuating even in the course of a day. The symptoms are transitory, yet for people who develop delirium, it can be the start of a permanent decline in health and independence. Some studies show continued signs of delirium six or 12 months after onset. Some patients never fully bounce back. Delirium can happen at any age. Patients in the intensive care unit of a hospital are at risk, for example, because it’s hard to withstand a combination of pain or infection, sedation, disrupted sleep and a disorienting environment.

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