Infection can cause delirium and hallucinations in elderly women.

As a woman, I had never heard of this before. It’s really quite scary that such a simple thing as a bladder infection can cause delirium and hallucinations. Unfortunately, I had to learn about this by having it happen to my grandmother.
Late this past spring, my grandmother was in the hospital. She was hallucinating and the doctors thought she had been over medicating. When she was released, my sister and I went to stay with her for a few days. The first two days were rough, she wanted to know were grandpa was, (he passed away 11 years ago), she would see “people” in the house and she always thought we were talking about her. Then on the third day, she was more like her feisty old self and she even talked about some of the hallucinations she had. We figured the worst had past.

Well, she was back in the hospital last Thursday. This time I got her pin number and talked to the nurse myself about what was going on. She said it was a bladder infection and that it is truly scary what it does to the elderly. Half the time she had no idea who I was or where she was. Unfortunately grandma had not been drinking enough or eating well, she had cancelled the meals on wheels because she didn’t like the food. She now has to go to assisted living for physical therapy. I believe it is to be sure they get the infection completely cleared up and that she is eating properly. We are hoping she may be able to go home after that, but with a day nurse.

I don’t know how many of you are aware of this problem. I sure didn’t know this could happen. It makes me worry as a female, but I’m glad that my husband was there and learned about it too, so that if something like this does happen, he can have me checked, so that maybe it is something like this, that can be cleared up, instead of assuming the worst. It can happen in men as well, but from all the searching I’ve done, women are just more prone to bladder infections overall.


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This happened to both of my elderly aunts (while they were still alive). The first time was very scary.. We thought she had a stroke, she was repeating the same nonsensical phrase over and over. She was fine in a few days of medication and rest.

Thank you so very much for this informative post. I look after both of my mom and mother in law, and together my mother in law and I look after her much older sister in law. I'm no spring chicken myself at 45, and I really appreciate being informed of this possibility, as all of us at one time or another have battled bladder infections. I did not realize they could result in such seemingly unrelated symptoms. You've done a kind service sharing your experience and I hope all is well with your family now.

An elderly acquaintance of mine was prone to bladder infections and used to take cranberry tablets, which gave her great relief, daily. Whenever she forgot to take them (or couldn't be bothered) the infection would come back.

She told me that she tried to tell her doctor how much they helped her, but the doctor wasn't interested.

As far as I know they don't interfere with any medication a sufferer may be taking and drinking cranberry juice would probably do just as well.

ETA - cranberry juice or tablets are not advised if the person has kidney stones or there is a family history of them. (Just looked it up).