Antipsychotic drugs used to pacify seniors

According to EDDIE SMALL in the Waterbury REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN, “An average of roughly one-quarter of the long-term residents in Connecticut’s nursing homes who did not have schizophrenia, Tourette’s syndrome or Huntington’s disease received an antipsychotic drug at some point between April 1, 2011 through Dec. 31, 2011, according to newly released data from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Connecticut’s average of 26.2 percent of such patients being given those drugs was the twelfth-highest in the country. Officials are warning that giving these drugs to people without specific psychiatric diagnoses can be hazardous.”  This finding causes us great concern.  If you want to read more about this issue, click here.