New information released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) shows that Oklahoma nursing homes are using less antipsychotic drugs. Studies also show that nursing homes are pursuing more patient-centered treatment for dementia and behavioral health care. Last year, CMS put out a call to nursing homes nationwide asking that they decrease the use of antipsychotic drugs prescribed to patients with dementia. <\/p>\n
After a year of creating awareness in care facilities, CMS announced in late August that Oklahoma was among 11 states that reduced the use of antipsychotic drugs in nursing homes by 15 percent in 2013. Previously, Oklahoma had one of the highest rates of antipsychotic use in the nation. A year ago, about one-third of the state’s nursing homes had more than 30 percent of residents with dementia put on antipsychotic medication. <\/p>\n
This study certainly offers positive news for nursing home residents and their families. Chemical restraint or overuse of medication, especially for dementia patients, is a widely prevalent, serious problem in our nation’s nursing homes. It is important that care facilities come up with a plan to devise and execute alternate strategies that help reduce the use of these powerful and potentially dangerous medications. In 2010, about 74,000 Oklahomans had developed Alzheimer’s disease. This number is expected to increase by about 30 percent by the year 2025, according to a state legislative report.<\/p>\n