Drew Noted in CBC Report
Recently, CBC News reported that 30% of nursing homes in New Brunswick were using antipsychotic medications early in the pandemic without diagnoses of psychosis. The national average is 22%, placing New Brunswick third-highest among the other provinces.
However, according to the report, The Drew Nursing Home has the lowest rate in the province at 7.3%, well below the average.
Antipsychotics given to patients with dementia may be deemed inappropriate, as dementia is not considered a psychiatric illness. While not all uses of the medication are problematic, the Canadian Institute for Health Information deems their use inappropriate when there are no indications of psychiatric illness.