Tennessee Nursing Homes are Using Less Antipsychotic Drugs, But Further Reduction is Needed

One way in which some victims of nursing home abuse and neglect are harmed by their caregivers is the use of chemical restraints, such as antipsychotic drugs. In some cases, antipsychotic medications are prescribed as part of a treatment program for psychosis, which is their intended use. In other cases, antipsychotic medications are given to nursing home residents in an effort to keep them calm and make them easier to control. The antipsychotic medications have not been approved for use in the treatment of the psychological and behavioral symptoms of dementia.

A nursing home which has an adequate amount of properly trained staff on hand at all times can manage the occasional violent outbursts or episodes of agitation that sometimes affect residents who suffer from dementia. Facilities which are constantly short-staffed, or which do not train their staff in handling these issues sometimes turn to chemical restraints in an effort to keep peace and order. While peace and order are good things to have in a nursing home, when chemical restraints are used to accomplish these seemingly noble ends, it is often at the cost of the residents’ health. The use of antipsychotic medications has actually been shown to shorten the lives of the people who take them. Even worse, they are often given to nursing home residents without their consent, or the consent of their families if they are unable to consent themselves. In many cases, antipsychotic medications are prescribed without the resident being made aware of the possible adverse effects of the medications. In contrast, maintaining a peaceful and orderly nursing home environment through proper staffing and training accomplishes the same ends, without compromising the health of the residents.

Tennessee has one of the highest numbers of residents receiving antipsychotic medications as part of their nursing home care. Nursing homes in Tennessee have made an effort to reduce the use of these medications over the past few years, and they have been successful in doing so. Since the number of residents receiving antipsychotic drugs is still among the highest in the nation even after reductions in the amount of residents receiving those medications have been made, it is clear that further reductions are needed.

The reason that the number of residents receiving antipsychotic drugs has declined is that the state Health Department has set up a program which trains employees in managing the behavioral situations which often accompany dementia with non-chemical means. It is essential that training programs like this continue, so that nursing home staff can use skills instead of pills to help keep nursing home residents calm and maintain order.

If someone that you love is a nursing home resident who suffers from dementia, it is essential that you find out whether they are currently taking antipsychotic medications, or whether they have taken them in the past. If your relative has been abused or neglected through the use of chemical restraints, it is important that you speak with a Memphis Nursing Home Abuse Attorney right away. The experienced Tennessee nursing home abuse and neglect attorneys at Bailey & Greer, PLLC would like to help you. We will sit down with you to learn about your case, explain your options, and help you decide how to proceed. Call us today, at 901-680-9777 to schedule a time to discuss your case.  At Bailey & Greer, PLLC, we are small enough to care, big enough to fight, and experienced enough to win.

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