Frequently, I talk with people who have gotten their elderly parent home from a hospital stay, expecting an improvement in health, and found that they have deteriorated mentally - sometimes significantly. They ask, "Will this go away?"

Obviously, each case is different, but it's certainly an issue that needs to be addressed. Sometimes a hospital stay can be so disorienting that an elder will sink into a confused state, even though no sign of infection or other physical reason seems evident....