With the aging of America, more and more older people will be living in nursing homes than ever before. According to available data, there were 39.6 million people in 2009 who were 65 years of age or older. That represented nearly one out of every eight Americans or almost 13% of the U.S. population. Estimates are that there will be roughly 72 million of these older Americans by 2030, causing concerns about the type and extent of prescription medications that are administered to nursing home residents.
Naturally, as we age it is necessary to take various medicines for heart conditions, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, diabetes, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, among other things. Because of this, most people 75 years of age or more take over 11 different prescription medications during any given period of a year, according to the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP). This requires a committed nursing home staff to see that medications are administered timely and properly.
Problems are encountered when undertrained and undersupervised staff give the wrong medication, an incorrect dosage or overmedicate their residents, leading to often catastrophic results. An unintentional but common error is the mixing up one patient’s medication for another’s during a hectic shift. These mistakes can result in serious drug interactions and even death. Another medication issue is the consistency with which it is administered. Many prescription medications require a consistent, rather than sporadic, dosage, in order to be effective and safe for the patient. Finally, there is an overall tendency in nursing homes across the country to overmedicate those who call these facilities home. Sometimes it is caused unintentionally by undertrained and underqualified staff members, and unfortunately sometimes it is intentional in order to calm and restrain a disoriented or combative resident. The use of prescription medication in the form of anti-psychotic drugs to calm or restrain the elderly can be illegal, but studies have shown that roughly 25% of all nursing home patients are given them. Unfortunately, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has reported that more than 15,000 nursing home patients die on an annual basis due to the unnecessary administration of these anti-psychotic medications. For others, the administration of these medications serves to diminish the quality of their life as they remain in a drug induced daze.
If you, a family member or a friend have a loved one in a nursing home that exhibits signs of having been over medicated such as disorientation, inability to communicate or have difficulty with mobility, you need to contact Christopher C. Walton at (866) 338-7079 for a confidential, no obligation consultation. He is an experienced and highly respected elder abuse attorney who has helped numerous elder neglect and abuse victims. All of our cases are handled on a contingency basis, which means that you will not owe an attorney fee unless there is a monetary recovery made for you.