Do you have a loved one in a nursing home?
The New York Times has reported on the problem of nursing home residents being given diagnoses for things like Schizophrenia in order to justify giving them anti-psychotic and other drugs. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/11/health/nursing-homes-schizophrenia-antipsychotics.html
Antipsychotic drugs carry an FDA “Black Box” warning for increased risk of death in elderly dementia patients. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2019/015923s095lbl.pdf
As reported in the times:
“Antipsychotic drugs — which for decades have faced criticism as “chemical straitjackets” — are dangerous for older people with dementia, nearly doubling their chance of death from heart problems, infections, falls and other ailments. But understaffed nursing homes have often used the sedatives so they don’t have to hire more staff to handle residents.”
In 2018, Dallas TV station WFAA reported on the drugging of nursing home residents in a series called Drugged and Dying. https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/investigates/drugged-and-dying-some-nursing-homes-are-overmedicating-residents-rather-than-paying-caretakers/287-524150040
In Texas, nursing home residents have a robust set of rights, including the right to be informed about prescribed psychoactive medication and the right to refuse consent. https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/HS/htm/HS.242.htm#242.501
The informed consent provision was added as specific legislation passed in 2001. https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/77R/billtext/html/SB00355F.htm
If you have seen a new psychiatric diagnosis or medication change for a loved one in a nursing home, it may be time to question why.
If you or a loved one has experienced abuse or questionable medications at a nursing home contact our office. Call 1-800-572-2905
Join us in asking Texas legislators to investigate patterns and practices of inappropriate medication prescriptions at nursing homes!