“Memory care approach cuts antipsychotic med use in more than 50% of residents: study,” by Lois A. Bowers, McKnight’s Senior Living

“A person-centered approach to memory care led to the reduced or discontinued use of off-label antipsychotic medications in more than half of the residents of 53 long-term care communities, including assisted living communities, who participated in a study, the results of which were announced last week. The study was conducted in the Canadian provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador and Prince Edward Island. … Forty percent of assisted living residents in the United States are living with dementia, according to the National Center for Assisted Living. Reducing the off-label use of antipsychotics is a goal of several industry organizations.”

 

LTC Comment (from Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform):

Low Medicaid reimbursements to U.S. nursing homes led to excessive use of antipsychotic meds to control dementia patients’ behavior. “A person-centered approach to memory care” is definitely a better option, but the big question remains how to pay for it while Medicaid continues to dominate reimbursement.