You left your loved one in a nursing home believing that they’d get the right care. You checked in regularly, and everything seemed to be fine.
Then, the last time you went in to visit your father, you found that he wasn’t acting normal. He was withdrawn and quiet. It was nothing like his normal personality.
After you reached out to the staff, you found that he was given a drug to sedate him. There was no reason for this, you believe, because he had no history of violence, anxiety or other issues that could lead to him harming himself or others. You knew that some nursing homes would use physical restraints on patients who were fall-risks, but you never thought that chemical restraints would be used without talking to you and your father’s doctor first.
Chemical restraints are not always the best idea for nursing home patients. They can be essential in moments where someone is lashing out or going to hurt someone, but they’re not necessary on a daily basis. They aren’t there for convenience.
You were frustrated and upset, so you took your father out of the facility immediately. The nursing home director was informed, and they tried to stop you. They justified the use of the medications by saying that your father had been coming out of his room late at night when fewer staff members were available, but that didn’t seem right to you.
If you’re worried that your loved one was abused or neglected as a result of this situation, speak out. Our website has more on nursing home abuse and what you can do to make this situation right.
