I have visited two EMI nursing homes like the one on the programme but for some reason that I do not understand they do not seem to have any recognition/status and are not acknowledged by the system. Unbelievable I know, but true from my experience.
Dementia - the cost of anti-psychotics? Panorama BBC 1
- Thread starter JPG1
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I have visited two EMI nursing homes like the one on the programme but for some reason that I do not understand they do not seem to have any recognition/status and are not acknowledged by the system. Unbelievable I know, but true from my experience.
I missed the programme. I have to say that although neither myself, the care home, the CPN or the Consultant want my husband 'drugged up'; neither do we want to see him in great distress, anxiety, having hallucinations and aggression - to sum up he is in absolute torment.
Drugs do help to lessen his agony and for that I'm grateful. I would be even more grateful, in fact I long for, a cure! Until that happens my husband will continue to need the drugs he is currently taking. It goes without saying that his drug regime is constantly updated and constantly modified as his needs fluctuate.
xxTinaT
Drugs do help to lessen his agony and for that I'm grateful. I would be even more grateful, in fact I long for, a cure! Until that happens my husband will continue to need the drugs he is currently taking. It goes without saying that his drug regime is constantly updated and constantly modified as his needs fluctuate.
xxTinaT
I am just worried people will see that programme and come away with the idea that dementia sufferers don't need drugs at all. I have read some of the posts on here by partners who have had to lock themselves away or run out of the house for their own safety. The drugs are a tool and should be used as such and not dished out like smarties to give the care homes an easy life.
Hi Tina,Onlyme.Medication has a very important role to play and I too hope that people understand this.
The problem has been that too many people have been prescribed the wrong types of medication with serious side effects as a form of restraint,ie to make life easier in the care homes.
The problem has been that too many people have been prescribed the wrong types of medication with serious side effects as a form of restraint,ie to make life easier in the care homes.
I do believe that sometimes such meds are necessary.
Its the chemical cosh to make life easier for the ch hospital staff im against
Many yrs ago mums first consultant prescribed what we later found out was an anti psychotic, we only gave it to mum for two days . To say she was like a zombi was an understatement . He prescribed it to quieten mum down coz she was noisy when he visited, if he had told us what it was and why , we would have said no .
Its the chemical cosh to make life easier for the ch hospital staff im against
Many yrs ago mums first consultant prescribed what we later found out was an anti psychotic, we only gave it to mum for two days . To say she was like a zombi was an understatement . He prescribed it to quieten mum down coz she was noisy when he visited, if he had told us what it was and why , we would have said no .
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anti-psychotic drugs
I'm SO GLAD I resisted all the pressure brought to bear and did NOT allow Mum to be given those drugs - they're still in the drawer and that's where they'll stay!!!! It'll be interesting to see if the govt. minister manages his target of reducing the number of prescriptions by 2/3 inside a year. But why should it take so long? They should start NOW!!!
I'm SO GLAD I resisted all the pressure brought to bear and did NOT allow Mum to be given those drugs - they're still in the drawer and that's where they'll stay!!!! It'll be interesting to see if the govt. minister manages his target of reducing the number of prescriptions by 2/3 inside a year. But why should it take so long? They should start NOW!!!
Hiya
Hiya miss cool, you will never have just a little voice whilst you are on here, your voice is just as important as anybody elses. And yes i watched the programme lat night in horror but dont want to make a knee jerk reaction and i will watch it again, best wishes, Norrms and family xxxxxxxxx
Hiya miss cool, you will never have just a little voice whilst you are on here, your voice is just as important as anybody elses. And yes i watched the programme lat night in horror but dont want to make a knee jerk reaction and i will watch it again, best wishes, Norrms and family xxxxxxxxx
I watched it too with my mum (now 65) who has FTD and has been on antipsychotics for 3 years.
I know they are not licenced for use on people with dementia and they tripple her chance of dying from a stroke.
Agree they are terrible drugs and many of the side effects they discussed I see in mum. But without them she couldnt live with us she would have been in a home 3 years ago. We tried to reduce her dose last year but she started climbing the walls again.
Not sure whats the best, put her in a home and remove the drugs or have her with her family but medicated. Reality is she would be on the drugs no matter where she would be because she would otherwise be unmanigable.
I know they are not licenced for use on people with dementia and they tripple her chance of dying from a stroke.
Agree they are terrible drugs and many of the side effects they discussed I see in mum. But without them she couldnt live with us she would have been in a home 3 years ago. We tried to reduce her dose last year but she started climbing the walls again.
Not sure whats the best, put her in a home and remove the drugs or have her with her family but medicated. Reality is she would be on the drugs no matter where she would be because she would otherwise be unmanigable.
I watched the programme and I think quite a lot of people would have done as well. Now its up to all the relatives of people who are being prescribed these anti-psychotic drugs to follow up and ask the questions why is their relative still on these drugs.
I also noticed, I dont know if any of you did when the Paul Burstow Care Minister was talking in Parliament about dementia that virtually the whole of the house seemed to be empty - so where was your MP during this debate?
I heard in the programme about Revolution - yes there needs to be a Revolution in the care of people with dementia so they are not given chemical coshes and also the drug companies vested interests reduced so they dont hold so much of a sway on these sort of treatments. Also the question is why could that home operate without these chemical coshes and other homes need to dish them out willy nilly and also why was that man on a drug for 6 years when it should have been only for a few weeks? so no regular review took place then. So totally going against any guidelines.
It was a very informative programme and on prime TV. For those that missed it - look at it on the BBC I player.
I also noticed, I dont know if any of you did when the Paul Burstow Care Minister was talking in Parliament about dementia that virtually the whole of the house seemed to be empty - so where was your MP during this debate?
I heard in the programme about Revolution - yes there needs to be a Revolution in the care of people with dementia so they are not given chemical coshes and also the drug companies vested interests reduced so they dont hold so much of a sway on these sort of treatments. Also the question is why could that home operate without these chemical coshes and other homes need to dish them out willy nilly and also why was that man on a drug for 6 years when it should have been only for a few weeks? so no regular review took place then. So totally going against any guidelines.
It was a very informative programme and on prime TV. For those that missed it - look at it on the BBC I player.
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thank you Dylan for your post..I was horrified watching the programme last night, but the sad fact is that my dear husband, who is sadly in care now, had to be sectioned at one time because of his aggression. Now, apart from a bit of stubborness, he is referred to as a gentleman in the Home and we have lovely times together...but am aware of the horrors of haliperodol and am so worried now.
love
Bronwen x
love
Bronwen x
JPG1's thread
To all reading this thread - do also read JPG's thread as the links on this are also worth listening to.
http://forum.alzheimers.org.uk/showthread.php?t=28523
To all reading this thread - do also read JPG's thread as the links on this are also worth listening to.
http://forum.alzheimers.org.uk/showthread.php?t=28523
Paul Burstow spoke in Parliament on 29th October and said:
"One subject that is a particular concern for me, and which I also think is a marker of quality of care, is the inappropriate-and I would go so far as to say abusive-use of antipsychotic drugs in residential settings. Not only do they bring people's lives to an end prematurely, but in some cases they kill people. The evidence has mounted over the years. I hope that Professor Sube Banerjee's report, which I am told is to be published next month, will not just be published, but generate genuine action from the Government."
(from: http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2009-10-29b.479.0&s=burstow+antipsychotic#g533.0
There's an interesting record of a "Westminster Hall debate" at
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/whall/?gid=2008-07-15b.1.1
A Westminster Hall debate... (but that can't have been where the clip was from, 'cos the shot was in the House of Commons).
It was encouraging to see the Minister being so positive: let's hope he can keep up his conviction in the face of cuts.
Pam
"One subject that is a particular concern for me, and which I also think is a marker of quality of care, is the inappropriate-and I would go so far as to say abusive-use of antipsychotic drugs in residential settings. Not only do they bring people's lives to an end prematurely, but in some cases they kill people. The evidence has mounted over the years. I hope that Professor Sube Banerjee's report, which I am told is to be published next month, will not just be published, but generate genuine action from the Government."
(from: http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2009-10-29b.479.0&s=burstow+antipsychotic#g533.0
There's an interesting record of a "Westminster Hall debate" at
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/whall/?gid=2008-07-15b.1.1
A Westminster Hall debate... (but that can't have been where the clip was from, 'cos the shot was in the House of Commons).
It was encouraging to see the Minister being so positive: let's hope he can keep up his conviction in the face of cuts.
Pam
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Nursing homes that do not prescribe anti-psychotic drugs
A naive question for anyone who may be able to answer?
How can a NH follow the philosophy of not having their residents on anti-psychotics? Surely it's the doctor's that decide isn't it?
A naive question for anyone who may be able to answer?
How can a NH follow the philosophy of not having their residents on anti-psychotics? Surely it's the doctor's that decide isn't it?
Did not see the program.
Tom has been on Haloperidol for about 6-7 years, when I suspect he started with AD.
Last year after reading of adverse effects I tried stopping them, For Tom that not a good idea. So common sense should also come in to the question.
Just my opinion.
Tom has been on Haloperidol for about 6-7 years, when I suspect he started with AD.
Last year after reading of adverse effects I tried stopping them, For Tom that not a good idea. So common sense should also come in to the question.
Just my opinion.
I feel distraught after watching Panorama. My poor Dad went to his day centre about thirteen weeks' ago, he became aggressive and had to be restrained, he was immediately put on a high dosage of respiridone and he has not returned home since. We moved him to a nursing home last week and he now has all the symptoms described last night. It's not the Alzheimer's killing him, I believe it's the drugs. Fourteen weeks' ago he was playing cricket in the garden with his family, now he can't walk/speak/shower etc. As a family we are at a loss. We do not like his nursing home yet cannot look after him at home.
I agreed to my husband being prescried Quetiapine. The Consultant discussed this with me and I raised questions like stroke risk and over sedation. It was all explained very thoroughly and I am happy we took that route.
Yes, he is very sleepy some of the time, but he was prior to the drugs and I believe that is part of the dementia. Now in general he seems very content in his world and I prefer that to a continuous high anxiety state.
I do not understand how any NH staff can just give anti psychotics at their will. These have to be prescribed by either Consultant or GP. So anyone who feels their loved one is overdosed should seek advice from the appropriate medic, not the NH staff.
Yes, he is very sleepy some of the time, but he was prior to the drugs and I believe that is part of the dementia. Now in general he seems very content in his world and I prefer that to a continuous high anxiety state.
I do not understand how any NH staff can just give anti psychotics at their will. These have to be prescribed by either Consultant or GP. So anyone who feels their loved one is overdosed should seek advice from the appropriate medic, not the NH staff.
Hi BeckyJan,
Similarly, I ask the question how do Dementia Nursing Homes manage to implement a "no anti-psychotic drug" philosophy as they are not responsible for prescribing medication?
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