My Dad has a lot of health issues which is why I've moved him down to assisted living near me, because I was on a plane every other week this summer. I know he had some short term memory issues that have become increasingly apparent as I spend more time with him, but no diagnosis.
He had an episode related to one of his chronic conditions about 10 days ago, was in the hospital, and is now moved to a rehab. But I feel like his cognitive abilities have gone downhill very, very dramatically. Some of it might be meds, but it still feels very sudden. It's like he went from being a little confused but able to have a nice conversation over the dinner table with my family, to screaming inappropriate things and pulling out his IV and not even knowing where he is or why. In less than two weeks!
I feel like it's an uphill battle with the doctors because they meet him and think "agitated senior with dementia" and I'm like, but no, this is NEW.
My father was so bad with his hospital delirium that my daughter slept in his room during his entire stay so that every time he woke up agitated, she was there to calm him down!
All the changes, new meds, the illness itself and the hospital/rehab environment contribute to the delirium these seniors experience, and it's a terrible thing to witness!
Wishing you the best of luck dealing with a difficult situation.
You need to get the doctors to listen to you. Keep saying this is new. Ask for a Neurological consult.