What to do if someone is showing signs of confusion

If the confusion has come on suddenly, take them to your nearest hospitalor call 999 for an ambulance, especially if they're showing other signs of illness such asa fever, or their skin or lips are turning blue .

If the person is diabetic...

If the person is diabetic, check their blood sugar level. You can check this if they have a testing device with them. You'll need to prick their finger with the device and place the droplet of blood on the testing strip. Compare the reading with these target blood sugar levels .

• If the reading is high ,take them to hospital or call 999.
• Ifthe reading is low , give them a sugary snack or drink. Wait 10 minutes to see if they recover. If they don't, take them to hospital or call 999.

While you wait for the ambulance

• Stay with them . Introduce yourself if you need to, reassure them, and remind them where they are at regular intervals.
• Check the person's medication cupboard if in their home and make a note of what drugs they're taking.
• Ask if any other family members have been unwell , tocheck whether carbon monoxide poisoning could be a possible cause of the confusion.