Groups Trying To Prevent Misuse Of Psychoactive Drugs On Elderly Patients
10News.com- San Diego
March, 2, 2011
The 10News I-Team has learned many local skilled nursing facilities are using powerful drugs to control elderly patients’ behavior.Keith Blair suffered from mild dementia, and it wasn’t until after his death that his daughter, Marian Hollingsworth, realized he’d been given antipsychotic drugs.
“It’s a way of controlling them. It keeps him in bed,” said Hollingsworth.Until that realization, Hollingsworth was puzzled by her father’s rapid deterioration. He had been given the powerful antispychotics Risperdal and Haldol without her permission.”Antipsychotic drugs are for the treatment of mental illness, not dementia,” said Tony Chicotel of California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform (CANHR). “And now we’ve got studies that show just horrific outcomes for people with dementia who take these drugs and that they’re prescribed just as much as they ever were, if not more.
“CANHR is trying to end the misuse of psychoactive drugs to control seniors. The group created a website which allows anyone to see how many patients are receiving psychoactive drugs at any skilled nursing facility in California. Experts say while using these drugs is sometimes justified, there are dangers in their misuse.”When you see nursing homes that are above 90 percent of their residents are receiving a psychotropic drug, you’re wondering what the hell is going on there,” said Chicotel.
read the rest of the story here: http://www.10news.com/news/27059153/detail.html
Visit the California Association for Nursing Home Reform website for their Campaign to Stop Chemical Restraints in Nursing Homes
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