Delirium superimposed on Charles Bonnet syndrome: A case study

Older adults with visual impairment may experience visual hallucinations in the setting of normal cognition and absence of psychiatric illness. This phenomenon is referred to as Charles Bonnet syndrome. Information concerning Charles Bonnet syndrome predominantly comes from case studies. Reassuring the person experiencing the hallucinations they are not suffering from psychosis constitutes the mainstay of treatment. What follows is the case of a vision impaired, older adult male with known Charles Bonnet syndrome, who, following emergency surgery and associated delirium while in the intensive care unit, experiences an aggressive change in hallucinations. Nurses need to understand the pathology and characteristics of Charles Bonnet syndrome in order to distinguish it from other pathologies underlying hallucinations. This knowledge is necessary to provide safe, patient-centered care for older adults.