The Minneapolis Star and Tribune published a fantastic article about aging and mental health: People with dementia getting drugged instead of helped by none other than our Warren Wolfe. Wolfe states:
In Minnesota, antipsychotic drugs are given routinely to 32 percent of Minnesota nursing home residents with dementia and behavior problems -- and to 15 percent of residents who don't have that diagnosis, the state Department of Health reported.
Antipsychotic drugs have become the No. 1 drug paid for by Medicaid, which regulates and pays for most nursing home care. They are prescribed for about 30 percent of all nursing home residents.
The word dementia has become a household word. We've all known someone who has had "symptoms of dementia." Ironically with seniors what LOOKS like dementia can actually be a symptom of another condition. Get a geriatrician (NOT the family doctor) or mental health professional who specializes in working with seniors involved.
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