If you reside in a nursing home or have a family member living in a facility, you need to keep an eye out for various forms of abuse and neglect. Moreover, there are certain factors that increase the likelihood of abuse and neglect. Sometimes, nursing home residents suffer due to the overprescription of antipsychotic medication, which can affect a resident’s ability to identify and address unlawful mistreatment.
To make matters worse, the improper use of antipsychotic medication often goes unnoticed, placing victims in a very vulnerable position.
Data on antipsychotic drugs and nursing home residents
The Committee on Ways and Means provides insightful statistics regarding the use of antipsychotic medications in nursing homes. A press release published last year states that roughly 20% of residents in skilled nursing facilities received antipsychotic medication in the last quarter of 2019. Put another way, more than 298,000 people who were living in nursing facilities took antipsychotic drugs during this period. However, only about 2% of residents had a condition that qualified them for antipsychotic medication.
The misuse of antipsychotics in nursing homes
Unfortunately, some nursing home residents who take antipsychotic drugs are especially likely to experience abuse and neglect. For example, if you take an antipsychotic, you could have a particularly difficult time recognizing abuse or speaking up for yourself after an incident occurs. Moreover, some families do not notice mistreatment when it takes place. As a result, if you have a loved one in a nursing home, pay close attention to the medications they take and their behavior (such as their speech).