According to a report conducted by NPR in December 2014, nearly 300,000 nursing home residents are currently receiving antipsychotic drugs that are normally used to treat symptoms related to Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.
These drugs, however, are approved mainly to treat serious mental illnesses like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Furthermore, when it comes to dementia, many of these drugs can increase the risk for heart failure and infections. The drugs have also been noted to greatly raise the risk of falls leading to serious injuries such as a hip fracture.