An 83-year-old woman is brought to the emergency department…
An 83-year-old woman is brought to the emergency department by her daughter, who reports that the patient became confused and agitated over the past two days. She was previously living independently and oriented. Her current symptoms began suddenly and seem to worsen in the evening. The daughter also notes that the patient had a urinary tract infection diagnosed earlier this week. On exam, the patient is disoriented to time and place, struggles to focus during the interview, and appears restless. Which of the following characteristics most clearly distinguishes this patient’s condition (delirium) from dementia?