Florida Nursing Home Lawyer Blog
Far too frequently, nursing home health care providers intentionally force elderly residents with dementia to consume hefty amounts of powerful antipsychotic drugs – most of which contain a black box warning indicating a heightened risk of infection and death.
According to a recent report by NPR, it’s estimated some 300,000 nursing home residents are currently receiving some level of antipsychotic medication, despite the fact these drugs are mainly used to treat serious mental illnesses, such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
Health care providers in nursing home settings use the drugs to suppress anxiety or aggression in patients with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease – even knowing the grave risks associated with the drugs. It’s a form of chemical restraint, and it may be considered a form of negligence or even outright abuse in some cases.