Decreasing Disruptive Behavior While Decreaseing Psychoactive Medications in Our Nurisng Facility

Abstract

Many older adults would like to remain at home as they age. Many of these older adults have dementia and behavioral health challenges. Psychoactive medications such as antipsychotics and anxiolytics are prescribed to manage these behaviors and facilitate the provision of care by the family members. These medications often place the individual at risk for sedation, falls, elevated blood sugar, elevated lipids, and even sudden death. Additionally, some carry a “black box” warning if prescribed for management of behavior in patients with dementia. Eventually, these patients present to nursing facilities for long-term care placement. The challenge then is that CMS lists only schizophrenia, Huntington's Disease, and Tourette's Syndrome as acceptable diagnoses in a nursing facility for which antipsychotics are appropriate treatment.