Doctors will have to justify prescribing the antipsychotic drug risperidone for longer than 12 weeks. But that won’t fix the problem of using drugs to manage aged care residents’ behaviour.
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Articles on Chemical restraint
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The aged care royal commission’s interim report paints a picture of a system in deep crisis. Its recommendations for action have some merit, but won’t address what are underlying, systemic problems.
Sedative medications and restraint belts are too often given to aged care residents with dementia to stop them wandering, prevent falls, or manage “difficult” behaviour.
Antipsychotic drugs are often used to “chemically restrain” aged care residents and control their behaviour. The system needs to change – but lessons from the US tell us it’s not going to be easy.
Older people in nursing homes or aged care facilities are often locked up “for their own safety”, which new research says isn’t usually needed.
Last night ABC’s Lateline discussed the case of 63-year-old John Burns, who died within 12 days of going into residential aged care. Burns was put into care after he started to display disinhibited sexual…
Top contributors
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Senior Lecturer in Dementia Care, University of Tasmania
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Professor, Health Law and Ageing Research Unit, Department of Forensic Medicine, Monash University
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PhD Candidate and Research Fellow at the Monash Health [Health and Social Care Unit], Monash University
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Postdoctoral Researcher, Neuro Mental Health, The University of Queensland
