People with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias are visiting emergency departments at rates that suggest their caregivers are struggling and don’t have better options, according to researchers.
The emergency visits often include potentially unnecessary and frightening tests, as well as the prescription of antipsychotic drugs that carry an increased risk of early death. The practice of using antipsychotics is sometimes referred to as “chemical restraint,” and the government has been working to reduce the rate of antipsychotic prescriptions among older people through nursing home reporting requirements.about emergency department visits from 2016 to 2019 for people ages 65 and older.
The researchers wrote that the high rate of visits for behavioral disturbances “may reflect caregiver difficulty in managing behaviors.” "Our findings highlight the need for better ways to evaluate and manage [Alzheimer's Disease and Alzheimer's Disease Related Dementias] care in outpatient settings to reduce potentially avoidable and harmful visits," the authors concluded.
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