Elders exposed to hospital stays can become very disoriented, to the point of delirium, which is difficult to distinguish from dementia. The scary part is that some never totally recover, once they return home. Also scary, is that fact that many medical professionals don't know about, or completely understand, this problem. I wrote about this situation for OurAlzheimer's in,"Is It Dementia or Delirium?". The strange, cold environment, ever changing staff and constant level of noise that people are exposed to in a hospital setting can be hard on anyone. This setting, along with drugs, fast talking staff and impersonal treatment can push an elder over the edge of reality into a mental state of delirium.

Read more about delirium and hosptialization of elders: