Direct Causes of Harm:

• Inadequate assessment and treatment  

• The rapid pace and technological focus of modern hospital care makes good clinical assessment and treatment more difficult in older people with dementia. 

• Often unable to communicate their needs

• Cognitive impairment creates barriers to safety

• Doctors and nurses spend less time with confused than with non- confused patients

Frequently, underlying serious illness in these patients is not recognized  
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3758672/#bibr13-0141076813476497