WSJ Provides More Coverage On How Nursing Homes Treat Dementia Patients, After Raising Alarm On Prescription Drug Abuse Dangers

Lucette Lagnado reports on how some nursing homes are attempting to wean patients off the drugs and lower their use overall. This article is a follow-up to her Dec. 4 article in the Wall Street Journal regarding the abuse of antipsychotic drugs among dementia patients in New York nursing homes.

Interestingly, the article states that according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, nearly 21% of patients not suffering from psychosis in nursing homes are taking these drugs. Unfortunately, even though new guidelines have been issued to limit the use of antipsychotics, the reimbursement rules tip in the favor of prescribing medication rather than hiring extra staff that would allow the nursing home to better tailor their care to the individual. Some examples of that care include giving dementia patients tasks to do that relate to their former work, using massages and aromatherapy to help calm them, and giving them more reading materials.