Antipsychotics Used In Nursing Homes Can Be A Sign of Elder Abuse & Neglect

Written by Adam Peck Category: Nursing Home Abuse & Neglect December 10th, 2014 2 min read

Antipsychotics Used In Nursing Homes Can Be A Sign of Elder Abuse & Neglect

Antipsychotic drugs have helped many people with serious mental illnesses like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. But for older people with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia, they can be deadly. The Food and Drug Administration has given these drugs a black box warning saying they can increase the risk of heart failure, infections and death. Yet almost 300,000 nursing home residents still get them and there use can be a sign of Nursing Home Elder Abuse & Neglect.

So in 2012, the federal government started a campaign to get nursing homes to reduce their use of these drugs. But an NPR analysis of government data shows that the government rarely penalizes nursing homes when they don’t get with the program.

There is a better way to manage the anxiety or aggression that sometimes goes with dementia. It’s one element of the national campaign started by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to reduce the use of antipsychotics in nursing homes and stop unnecessary elder abuse and neglect.

The approach being taught is sometimes called individualized care. The idea is that if nursing home employees know enough about a resident, and they should, they can figure out the reason behind challenging behavior and deal with it without resorting to administering antipsychotic drugs.

What the government needs to do is enforce the Nursing Home Reform Act that was passed 27 years ago. That law says residents have a right to be free from “chemical restraints.” It also says that nursing home residents should only receive antipsychotics if the drugs are medically necessary.

Check NPR’s interactive database below to see the history of antipsychotic drug usage at nursing homes in your area and how they compare to national and state averages.

Share it

Questions? Check with Peck Today

Blog Lead Form

Elder Abuse and Neglect in Assisted Living Facilities

Elopement in Nursing Homes

Assisted Living Abuse

Settlement Reached in Assisted Living Facility Death

Assisted Living Abuse and Neglect Attorneys

Written by Adam Peck

Expertise: Personal Injury

Adam J. Peck, ESQ is a principal with Peck Law Group, APC. In 2008, Mr. Adam Peck received his Juris Doctorate from Whittier Law School where he graduated Cum Laude. His practice is primarily dedicated to representing Elders, Dependent Adults, along with their loved ones and family members, who have suffered horrific personal injuries.