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New Resource: "Difficult" is Not a Diagnosis

May 17, 2022

A new fact sheet, “Difficult” is Not a Diagnosis: What to Do When Your Loved One is Being Pushed to Take Antipsychotic Drugs, is now available for advocates and family members. This fact sheet provides tips and resources on what to do if your loved one is being pushed to take antipsychotic drugs.

“Difficult” is not a diagnosis and it is inappropriate to label any resident this way. Actions and behaviors are a form of communication by which residents are expressing an unmet need. There are steps the nursing home should take to assess and try to address what might be causing "difficult" behavior or distress before resorting to medication, such as an antipsychotic drug, for which the resident may not have a clinical diagnosis.

Learn more about the misuse of antipsychotic drugs in nursing homes.

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