Dementia And Antipsychotic Medications In Nursing Homes

Posted on September 30, 2011 by John R Kormanik

A recent story by , addresses the use of antipsychotic medications in treating dementia in nursing home residents. The story begins with the story of Hazel Eng, a resident of the Ecumen home in North Branch, Minn. "Day after day, Hazel Eng sat on her couch, a blank stare on her face. The powerful antipsychotics she was taking often cloaked her in sedation. And when they didn't, the 89-year-old lashed out at her nursing home's aides with such anger and frequency her daughter wondered if her mother would be better off dead." When Ms. Eng was transferred to another section of the facility and was removed from her antipsychotic medications, there was a dramatic change. "She now beams as she ambles the hallways, reads the newspaper, tells stories and constantly laughs."

According to Mr. Sedensky: "Antipsychotics are meant primarily to help control hallucinations, delusions and other abnormal behavior in people suffering from schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, but they're also given to hundreds of thousands of elderly nursing home patients in the U.S. to pacify aggressive and paranoid behavior related to dementia."

The use of antipsychotic medications to treat dementia is an "off-label" use. According to a 2007 government audit, approximately 83% of Medicare claims for antipsychotic drugs were for purposes including the treatment of dementia.

So what, you might ask. Isn't it better to medicate a resident suffering from dementia so they do not harm themselves or others? The answer is an absolute and resounding: NO! Use of antipsychotic medicine to "treat" the symptoms of dementia creates its own set of issues. "The drugs can limit seniors' ability to effectively communicate, socialize or participate in everyday life."

Thankfully, according to the article, the off-label use of antipsychotic medications to treat dementia in the nursing home setting has decreased over the past decade.

If you have a loved one who suffers from dementia and is receiving antipsychotic medicine, you should speak with your physician. Make sure the medications are necessary and are being used correctly. If your loved one seems "out-of-it" during visits, it may very well be the result of the medications he or she is receiving. It is up to you to make sure each and every medication prescribed to a loved one is absolutely necessary.

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September 21 - Today Is World Alzheimer's Day

Posted on September 21, 2011 by John R Kormanik

According to the Center for Disease Control's website, September 21 is World Alzheimer's Day. Here are some disturbing facts about Alzheimer's disease:

  • It is currently estimated that approximately 2.6 million to 5.2 million Americans currently have Alzheimer's disease, depending upon the approach used for identifying individuals with dementia.
  • If no cure is developed and present population trends continue, as many as 16 million individuals may have Alzheimer's disease by the year 2050.
  • Alzheimer's disease ranks as the 6th leading cause of death among adults aged 18 years and older, and is the 5th leading cause of death for adults aged 65 years and older.
  • For people with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, the total payments for health care, long-term care, and hospice are projected to increase from $183 billion in 2011 to $1.1 trillion in 2050 (in 2011 U.S. dollars).

Indeed, Alzheimer's disease is "the most common form of dementia among older adults.

If you or someone you know has Alzheimer's, take a look at the CDC website. It has more interesting and informative information and links to other sources.

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Therapy Dogs - Does Your Nursing Home Have Them?

Posted on September 14, 2011 by John R Kormanik

I am a dog person. I love dogs. I believe they bring joy into our lives like few other things. That is why over the past 20 or so years, I have owned a dog. Pictured here is my dog Maggie May. As you can see, she is very patient with me.

When I first moved to Idaho, I was looking for some public service work I could perform. One of the services I became involved in was a "therapy dog" program at St. Luke's Regional Medical Center in downtown Boise. As a dog owner/lover, it seemed like a perfect fit, and it was. Now, my dog at the time, Sherwood, a yellow lab was not a therapy dog, although she possibly could have been. Instead, I would arrive at the hospital and take the therapy dog and its human around to different parts of the hospital to visit patients, both young and old. The interaction between the therapy dog and patient was something I will never forget.

A recent piece in the Los Angeles Times discussed the use of therapy dogs in "senior communities." According to the piece: "There is a growing body of medical research that shows how interacting with dogs (and other pets) improve seniors' emotional and physical well-being." After reading the piece, it got me thinking...why not have pet therapy in nursing homes in Idaho?

There are resources out there for just such services. One I stumbled upon, called "Idaho Paws for Effect" has a website. According to the website, the organization already apparently already visits several nursing homes in the Treasure Valley area. Another resource, "Heart to Heart: Pets With a Purpose, also apparently provides therapy dogs for long-term care facilities. (I am in no way affiliated with either of these organizations, nor am I stating they are the only resource out there.)

Does your nursing home or assisted living facility provide pet therapy? If not, and you are interested in having having a visit from a therapy dog, you should ask your facility to look into arranging for such a visit.

There are few things in the world that make you feel as good as just petting a dog. But, that view comes from a dog lover.

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