Nursing Home Scandal: Too Many Residents Hooked on Pill Sedatives
Nursing home inhabitants are kept tranquilized with drugs - Overabundance of Nursing Home Residents Medicated with Oral Sedatives
A casual chat on a serious topic
It's a shocking revelation: in our very own nursing homes, way too many residents are hooked on sedatives, as per health insurer AOK. In Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, around one in 22 nursing home dwellers are jacked up on long-term prescriptions for benzodiazepines, benzodiazepine derivatives, and Z-substances. And nationwide, that number skyrockets to one in 14, according to AOK's latest "Quality Atlas Nursing Care."
These pills are known for their short-term calming and anxiety-reducing effects. But the kicker? These effects wear off after four weeks. Long-term use, however, leads to a dependency, a higher fall risk, and the onset of anxiety and depression.
"In Deutschland, these substances rank high among the most often inappropriately prescribed medications for altersheimbewohner," explained Susann Behrendt from AOK's Scientific Institute. High long-term use of sedatives is often linked to a shortage of staffing, as suggested by the data from 2023.
All Eyes on Eye Care for Diabetics
Not to forget, 76% of diabetic residents in MV missed out on eye care in 2023, as stated further. Nationwide, it was a staggering 79.2%. Medical guidelines recommend regular eye checks to nab changes in the retina early and prevent blindness.
Overall, nursing home residents in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern faired better when it comes to critical events, with a lower average compared to Germany as a whole. Nationwide, 16.2% of all nursing home residents ended up in the hospital after a fall in 2023, while in MV, it was 13%, according to AOK.
More Falling Down in Vorpommern-Greifswald
Within MV, the range for hospitalizations after falls varied, from 11.2% in Vorpommern-Rügen to 15.1% in Vorpommern-Greifswald. When it comes to pressure sores (decubitus), MV comes out on top with 11.3% of nursing home residents affected, compared to the national average of 12.5%.
- AOK
- Nursing Home
- Nursing Home Resident
- Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
- Berlin
Bonus Insights:
- Long-term use of benzodiazepines and Z-drugs comes with several adverse effects, including psychomotor impairment, cognitive decline, increased fall risk, Alzheimer’s disease, and other cognitive disorders.
- Older adults, especially those in nursing homes, are at a higher risk of unplanned hospitalizations due to issues like transitions in care and health status changes.
- Efforts to reduce the use of sedatives among nursing home residents often involve non-pharmacological interventions and strategies to deprescribe unnecessary medications.
- In Germany, benzodiazepines and Z-drugs are among the most frequently inappropriately prescribed medications for older adults.
- High long-term use of sedatives is often associated with a staffing shortage.
- Concerns about community policies within nursing homes have been raised as a potential factor contributing to the over-prescription of sedatives, which have been linked to chronic diseases, mental health issues, and adverse effects such as psychomotor impairment, cognitive decline, increased fall risk, Alzheimer’s disease, and other cognitive disorders.
- The implementation of vocational training programs for nursing staff could help alleviate the staffing shortage and assist in reducing the reliance on sedatives for managing resident behavior, thereby improving overall health and wellness and promoting mental health therapies and treatments.
- With the high prevalence of long-term use of sedatives in nursing homes, it's crucial to explore alternative methods for addressing mental health and manage chronic diseases, such as exploration of holistic approaches like meditation, yoga, and art therapy, which can help improve quality of life for nursing home residents and mitigate the risks associated with sedative use.
