New York Times Examines Overuse of Antipsychotics Among Nursing Home Residents With Dementia
Tuesday, June 24th, 2008.
Washington, DC - The Times reports that because many nursing homes are short-staffed and insurers do not generally pay for the “attentive medical care and hands-on psychosocial therapy that advocates recommend,” it is “much easier” to use sedatives and antipsychotics on patients with dementia. According to the Times, many physicians say misuse of antipsychotics is common. “These antipsychotics can be overused and abused,” and “there’s a lot of abuse going on in a lot of these places,” Johnny Matson, a professor of psychology at Louisiana State University, said. Dillip Jeste, a professor of psychiatry and neuroscience at the University of California-San Diego, said if elderly patients are prescribed these drugs, it should be in a very low dose for the shortest time possible.
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