Philadelphia Personal Injury Attorney Blog | Pomerantz Perlberger & Lewis LLP

As nursing home administrators have sought ways to care for more patients with less staff, they have increasingly turned to antipsychotic drugs as a cost-effective solution. The industry has moved toward larger institutions with more residents, trying to increase efficiency by increasing the number of residents without increasing the number of staff members. Nursing home administrators have found that using antipsychotic drugs to calm and quiet "unruly" patients not only works, but is profitable, and therefore the practice has spread. Around 30% of all nursing home residents have been placed on antipsychotic drugs, which includes about 21% of non-psychotic patients.

This is not only due to the desires of nursing-home administrators to increase profits. They cannot do this alone. Their allies in this strategy include doctors, who commonly prescribe antipsychotics Risperdal and Seroquel for off-lable uses. Although not approved for these uses, doctors prescribe the drugs for: confusion, memory loss, depression, and feelings of isolation, many of which are common among nursing home residents.

In addition, Medicaid and other federal programs will reimburse nursing home for drugs, often without questioning the need for the prescription. This is a result of the combined pressure of doctors' organizations and pharmaceutical manufacturers who want to ensure that drug revenues continue to increase.

If you have loved ones in a nursing home, make sure to carefully scrutinize their medications. Talk to the prescribing doctor to find out why the drug is necessary. If you suspect that your loved one is being placed on medication just to keep them quiet, remove them from the home and contact the experienced nursing home abuse attorneys at Pomerantz, Perlberger, and Lewis, LLP today for a free initial consultation.