Nursing Homes Falsely Diagnose Patients as Schizophrenic to Sedate Them, Report Says

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Source: MedPage Today

Original: https://www.medpagetoday.com/geriatrics/dementia/120401...

Published: Fri, 20 Mar 2026 09:30:30 -0400

A report by the HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) found that nursing home staff are overdiagnosing dementia patients as schizophrenic. The goal is to prescribe antipsychotics to calm patients and facilitate their treatment. These false diagnoses allow patients to be sedated. The report highlights the overuse of antipsychotics in nursing homes.