LAUSR

THROUGH THE EYES OFAN MD/ARCHITECT “We call it the delirium room,” my colleagues would say about a hospital roomwhere, anecdotally, it was noticed that more patients tended to become delirious. I went to visit it—the door squeakedwith each swing, there wasminimal daylight with the window view being a neighboring wall, and the room faced the constantly noisy nursing station. What insights can architectural design provide toward our understanding of delirium and models of care? Sensory deprivation studies with healthy volunteers have reported visual alterations andperceived distortions of spaces and colors. Participants were expected to remain recumbent with limited movement for a week—watching television, reading, or listening to the radio were permitted. This environment is notably similar to what hospitalized patients may experience, whereby the symptoms described mimic symptoms of delirium. This becomes relevant because 15% to 50% of patients hospitalized experience delirium, increasing to up to 80% in those requiring intensive care. Delirium is defined as a sudden decline in attention and cognition. Symptoms fluctuate in intensity and include disturbances in attention, awareness, behavior, and cognition. The precise pathophysiologic mechanisms of delirium continue to be unclear. Pharmacologic treatments have not been proven effective, so nonpharmacological approaches