Study: Dementia patients are wildly over-medicated with antipsychotic drugs

Nursing homes may be over-medicating dementia patients with antipsychotic drugs despite mounting evidence of early death and minimal efficacy, according to a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine. Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School found that off-label prescription of anti-psychotic drugs were a common practice in nearly 100 nursing homes in the state. However, undergoing the OASIS curriculum and training program helped reduce the number of off-label prescription, the research team said. The program provides nursing home professionals such as nurses and dietary staff with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to care for dementia patients without resorting to medication.