Groups that advocate for older Americans are speaking out about the overuse of psychotropic medications in nursing homes.
Last November, the federal government reported that 80% of nursing facility residents they studied received these medications, which are supposed to treat conditions like psychosis, convulsions, depression and anxiety.
But Eric Carlson, author of a new policy brief from the nonprofit Justice in Aging, said residents are sometimes being sedated as a form of chemical restraint.
"Evidence suggests that nursing facilities are using these antipsychotic medications to keep residents manageable," said Carlson. "These are, by and large, residents who have not had a history of psychiatric conditions."
Carlson - who is also the director of long-term services and supports advocacy for Justice in Aging - said informed consent must be a bedrock principle for all patient care.
"People should say, 'Yes, I want this medication,' or, 'No, I don't want this medication,'" said Carlson. "And that decision should be made after being given information on the benefits and potential risks of the medication."
The feds use the prevalence of antipsychotic medicines to rate nursing home quality, but they don't count patients with certain diagnoses, like schizophrenia.
The brief points out that the number of diagnoses for that condition shot up 35% after the rating system took effect in 2015.