The Misuse of Antipsychotics Among Nursing Home Residents

Residents of long-term care facilities are increasingly being placed on antipsychotic medications despite having no proper diagnosis to warrant their use. Antipsychotics are especially dangerous when prescribed to elderly individuals and have been linked to numerous resident deaths in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities. Furthermore, the misuse and overprescribing of antipsychotics in long-term care facilities is extremely costly for the Medicare program and for consumers, as these medications tend to be high-priced.