Abusing Drugs In Nursing Facilities
Thirty one years after the federal government reported to Congress about the
widespread abuse of medication to residents in nursing homes with dangerous
drugs, it is apparent that not much has changed.
Before we review the extent of this abuse, it is important to remember that
psychoactive and other drugs frequently have very serious and irreversible side
effects. They should not be prescribed or used in a wholesale manner, unless one
cares more about easing the job of the staff than about the well-being of the
residents.
While we have only anecdotal information and do not know how widespread the
practice is, we have heard reports that doctors write these prescriptions on an
"as needed" basis, so that nurses or untrained aides decide when to administer
them.
When do nursing facilities think these drugs are "needed?" Answer : when the
facilities are short-staffed, when a resident's behavior is somewhat aggressive
or when a resident is very upset, acting out, agitated -- then sedate them with
drugs.
These drugs in nursing facilities are used primarily to control behavior; not to
treat medical or psychiatric illnesses.
Prescribing doctors may not be psychiatrists and may not even see the patient on
any regular basis, which could explain why the nursing home industry fights so
hard to limit malpractice litigation that could hold them accountable for
abusing these drugs.
Anyone who regularly visits nursing facilities, or even visits them only
occasionally, sees the "zombie" look of many patients. Psychoactive and
antidepressant drugs can have that effect, sedating residents to such an extent
they just sit around and "space out." It makes running the institution so much
easier.
Here is the CMS national breakdown as of 3/07:
Re antipsychotic medications, nearly 27% of nursing home residents were
receiving such drugs regularly.
Re antidepressant medications, a whopping 52.2% are prescribed these drugs
regularly.
When will disability and older American advocates stop this abuse in your State?
When will State health departments stop it?
Is it hopeless? Will we just pretend it does not exist?
Maybe this abuse does not matter because the people in these institutions are
disabled and old?
Will this abuse never stop as long as low-income people with disabilities,
regardless of their age, are warehoused and segregated in institutions and are
invisible to the populace at large.
Here is a breakdown by State for the % of people in nursing facilities who
regularly receive Antidepressants and Antipsychotics:
Antidepressants Antipsychotics
Alabama .....................55.3% ............28.1%
Alaska ..................... 56.5% ............20.8%
Arizona .................... 51.4%. ...........26.5%
Arkansas.................... 52.4%... .........29.4%
California.................. 40.9% .. ..........26.8%
Colorado.................... 53.5%... .........23.7%
Connecticut................. 54.2%.... ........30.2%
Delaware.................... 49.7% .. ..........26.1%
D. C........................ 27.5% . ...........23.6%
Florida..................... 53.0% . ...........25.5%
Georgia..................... 51.6%... .........31.2%
Hawaii...................... 34.1% ............14.0%
Idaho....................... 59.9% ............27.2%
Illinois.....................44.6% ............33.2%
Indiana..................... 54.9% ............25.6%
Iowa........................ 52.4% . ...........22.1%
Kansas...................... 56.4% ............28.3%
Kentucky.................... 55.7% .............27.5%
Louisiana....................49.8% ............34.4%
Maine....................... 59.6% .............26.3%
Maryland.................... 47.9%. ...........22.5%
Massachus.................. 60.0%... .........30.5%
Michigan.................... 52.4% . ...........18.7%
Minnesota................... 55.2% ............23.8%
Mississippi................. 51.7% ............ 30.7%
Missouri.....................57.6% ............27.7%
Montana..................... 53.8% ............23.9%
Nebraska.....................54.8% ............25.2%
Nevada.......................43.1% ............23.7%
New Hampshire.......... 49.4% ............28.7%
New Jersey................. 54.4% ............24.9%
New Mexico............... 49.2% ............24.1%
New York .................. 42.1% ............26.3%
North Carolina............ 54.1% ............24.1%
North Dakota.............. 57.6% ............22.9%
Ohio.........................56.7% ............28.3%
Oklahoma................... 54.6% ............30.8%
Oregon.......................57.7% ............22.9%
Pennsylvania.............. . 54.3% ............24.7%
Rhode Island............... 61.2% . ...........24.7%
South Carolina............ 48.5% ...........24.9%
South Dakota.............. 53.4% ...........23.5%
Tennessee................... 58.9% ...........31.6%
Texas........................50.2% ...........29.0%
Utah.........................57.9% ............29.6%
Vermont..................... 56.9% ............29.1%
Virginia.....................50.4% ...........25.8%
Washington ................ 54.5% ............22.6%
West Virginia.............. 53.9%. ............24.3%
Wisconsin .................. 53.1% . ...........21.8%
Wyoming ................... 54.1% ............22.2%
National ....................51.2% ............26.9%
Steve Gold, The Disability Odyssey continues
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To contact Steve Gold directly, write to stevegoldada@cs.com or call
215-627-7100.
