Public News Service: Report: Nursing Homes Sedate Too Many Residents (February 15, 2023)

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.”