A Boston Globe report based on government data has found that a number of the nation’s nursing homes are wrongfully using anti-psychotic drugs to silence residents who display hostile or combative behavior. According to a news report in USA Today, the Globe’s investigation found that a Massachusetts nursing home was administering dangerous anti-psychotic drugs to 19 percent of its residents, even those who did not have a diagnosis for which the drugs are recommended.
These drugs, usually prescribed for those suffering from schizophrenia, can have powerful side effects, including dizziness, abnormal heart rhythm, sudden drop in blood pressure, blurred vision, or even death. The Globe’s investigation also found that just in the year 2010, 185,000 nursing home residents nationwide received these drugs against the recommendation of federal nursing home regulators. Many of the patients who received these drugs were those suffering from Alzheimer’s or dementia.
Some nursing homes are using the defense that they “have to” use these drugs on some patients to prevent them from hurting others or themselves. These drugs are used as “chemical restraints” instead of physical restraints. But in many of the nation’s understaffed nursing homes, these dangerous drugs are being used to simply subdue patients. When staff members do not have the time to provide care or attention to these “demanding” patients, they are put to sleep with these powerful medications. This inhumane practice amounts to nursing home neglect and abuse.
If you believe that your loved one is being given unnecessary medications at a nursing home, you have the right to demand an inquiry and file a complaint with nursing home administrators. If your loved one has suffered serious side effects as a result of these medications, please contact an experienced Oklahoma nursing home abuse lawyer at the Maples Law Firm. We will fight for your rights and ensure that the negligent parties are held accountable. Please contact us at (405) 705-5050 for a no-cost consultation.
