Safely Caring for the Agitated Older Adult in the Emergency Department

The podcast addresses the management of agitation in older emergency department patients, particularly those with dementia. It emphasizes identifying and addressing the underlying causes of agitation rather than simply sedating patients. Dr. Maura Kennedy highlights that agitation in dementia patients often represents unmet needs or communication difficulties exacerbated by the unfamiliar hospital environment. Key strategies include the "TADA" mnemonic (tolerate, anticipate, don't agitate) and redirecting rather than reorienting patients. The discussion also covers appropriate medication choices, advocating for lower doses of olanzapine or quetiapine over the traditional "B52" cocktail, and considering hydromorphone over morphine for pain management due to its favorable profile in renal dysfunction.