Drugged and dying

Summary

This investigative report reveals the disturbing practice of nursing homes drugging elderly residents to sedate them instead of providing proper care. It highlights the story of a woman, Mae, who was given powerful sedatives without her consent, leading to severe consequences. The investigation exposes a widespread issue in Texas nursing homes, where residents are misdiagnosed with conditions like schizophrenia to justify these drugs. Despite federal crackdowns, the practice continues due to cost-saving measures, leaving vulnerable individuals at risk. The report urges families to be vigilant about the care and medications their loved ones receive in nursing homes.

Takeaways

• 😀 Elderly residents in nursing homes are often neglected, with some left alone with no visitors.
• 😀 Some nursing homes use powerful, potentially fatal drugs to sedate elderly residents instead of hiring enough staff to provide proper care.
• 😀 The practice of drugging elderly residents is known as 'taking the sleepers', where medications are used to make residents sleep and remain docile.
• 😀 Nursing home workers, like the informant in the investigation, reveal that drugging residents is a common but hidden practice.
• 😀 One elderly woman, May, experienced being drugged with a sedative disguised in her lemonade, after she complained about her care.
• 😀 Federal investigations have uncovered that pharmaceutical companies bribed nursing homes to use sedatives to control residents, which is not FDA-approved.
• 😀 Antipsychotic drugs like Risperdal were administered to May, despite there being no proper diagnosis of schizophrenia, a practice that is both inappropriate and dangerous.
• 😀 The federal government has recognized the rising use of antipsychotics in nursing homes, leading to a crackdown, but the problem persists.
• 😀 Many nursing homes in Texas, one of the worst offenders, continue to drug residents without proper justification, often misdiagnosing them with psychotic conditions.
• 😀 There has been a significant increase in the diagnosis of schizophrenia among elderly residents in Texas nursing homes, even though this condition typically develops in young adults.
• 😀 Nursing homes often cut costs by reducing staffing and relying on drugs to sedate residents, compromising their care and well-being.
• 😀 Families of nursing home residents are encouraged to investigate the medications their loved ones are prescribed and hold nursing homes accountable for any improper treatments.

Q & A

What is the main issue highlighted in the investigation?

The investigation reveals that many nursing homes drug elderly residents to keep them quiet and manageable, rather than hiring enough staff to provide proper care. These drugs, often powerful and potentially fatal, are used to sedate residents, a practice known as 'drugging the elderly.'

What term is used for the practice of drugging elderly residents in nursing homes?

The term used for this practice is 'take the sleepers,' referring to any medication given to sedate the elderly and make them easier to care for by putting them to sleep.

Why are nursing homes drugging elderly residents?

Nursing homes often drug elderly residents due to insufficient staffing. Instead of hiring more workers, they use drugs to sedate residents and make them easier to manage, saving money but risking the health of the residents.

What happened when the informant reported the issue of drugging in nursing homes?

The informant, who works directly with nursing home residents, shared firsthand accounts of witnessing the drugging. She also expressed concerns about retaliation and had to remain anonymous. Her claims were backed up by lab tests revealing that drugs like anticonvulsants were being given to residents without their knowledge or consent.

How did Mae discover she was being drugged?

Mae, a nursing home resident, discovered she was being drugged after she refused to take pills she was being given. She suspected the staff was hiding the drugs in her lemonade, and lab tests confirmed that the drink contained an anticonvulsant with sedative effects.

What is the risk associated with the use of antipsychotic drugs in elderly nursing home residents?

Antipsychotic drugs pose serious risks for elderly residents, including increased risk of cardiac death, falls, and fractures. They are only supposed to be used for specific mental illnesses, but some nursing homes misuse them to sedate non-psychotic residents.

What did the federal investigation reveal about the misuse of antipsychotic drugs in nursing homes?

The federal investigation found that nursing homes were over-prescribing antipsychotic drugs, often for non-psychotic conditions. The misuse of these drugs was leading to increased spending and putting elderly residents at significant health risks.

How did Texas nursing homes respond to the crackdown on overuse of antipsychotic drugs?

Although Texas nursing homes were identified as some of the worst offenders in the past, they claimed improvements after federal crackdowns. However, the investigation revealed that many nursing homes continued the practice, with some even finding ways to fly under the radar by misdiagnosing residents with conditions like schizophrenia.

Why is the diagnosis of schizophrenia in elderly nursing home residents concerning?

Schizophrenia is a condition that typically develops in early adulthood, not later in life. The sudden rise in schizophrenia diagnoses in elderly nursing home residents, especially those over 70, is concerning and suggests that some nursing homes may be falsely diagnosing residents to justify the use of antipsychotic drugs.

What should family members do if they suspect their loved ones are being drugged in nursing homes?

Family members should inquire about the medications their loved ones are being prescribed and the reasons behind it. If they don't receive satisfactory answers, they should seek further assistance, including contacting news organizations or reporting to state authorities.