In a three-part series, NPR recently took on the persistent problem of antipsychotics in nursing homes. Part 1 reviewed some very bad cases of antipsychotic misuse in California nursing homes. Part 2 criticized the federal government’s effort to enforce nursing home rules regarding antipsychotic misuse and Part 3 focused on the good dementia care practices at Ecumen nursing homes in Minnesota that have led to dramatic decreases in antipsychotic usage. The NPR series does a great job of telling the story of antipsychotics in nursing homes: a frightening tale of chemical restraints from overmatched and frustrated nursing home staff, fostered by governmental failures, that is only now being rescued by the humane, comfort-centered approaches to care finally getting their due.
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