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There are two main types of delirium: THE HYPOACTIVE FORM, which is characterized by lethargy, drowsiness and inattentiveness; and THE HYPERACTIVE FORM, which is characterized by

restlessness, agitation, hypervigilance, mood changes, and sometimes delusions or hallucinations. Complicating matters, some people develop a mixed type of delirium, in which they switch

back and forth between being lethargic and agitated. Sometimes these symptoms may not emerge until a patient is discharged from the hospital, according to the GCBH report. If you see any of

these changes in your loved one, notify a medical professional right away. "Caregivers should not be bashful — they should have a low bar for contacting a medical professional about

this,” says pulmonologist E. Wesley Ely, codirector of the Critical Illness, Brain Dysfunction and Survivorship (CIBS) Center at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. Once hospital staff

members become aware of these changes, “politely question what's currently being done for the patient and what they're going to do about the delirium,” Karlawish advises. A medical

professional should review the medications and treatments that are being administered to your loved one to see which might be contributing to the delirium, and check for electrolyte

imbalances, dehydration, infection, or exacerbation of a lung or heart disease, any of which can trigger delirium. HOW TO HELP A LOVED ONE COME BACK FROM DELIRIUM In the meantime, focus your

efforts on reorienting your loved one to time and place: Make sure your family member has their glasses, hearing aids and mobility devices (such as a cane) handy; then calmly ask questions

such as, “Do you know what day it is?” and “Do you know where you are and why you're here?” To help your loved one feel connected to their life, you might share news about other family

members and friends or show pictures of people they're close to. Stay with your loved one. “Someone with delirium should never be left alone,” Karlawish says. “The presence of someone

familiar is quite valuable in and of itself.” GET MOVING If it's safe for your loved one to walk around, help them to do so — or at least move from the bed to a chair. If your loved one

is hungry, help them eat or have fluids. “The sooner you can normalize that person's behavior and environment, the better the chances are of minimizing the length of the [delirium]

episode,” says neurologist Ronald Petersen, director of the Mayo Clinic Alzheimer's Disease Center in Rochester, Minnesota.