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Chapel Hill, North Carolina Nursing Home Under Investigation Following Patient?s Death

North Carolina officials are investigating Britthaven of Chapel Hill for possible wrongdoing related to the administration of strong-pain control drugs to Alzheimer?s patients. Nine residents tested positive for these medications, including opiates, which they weren?t supposed to be taking. Six of the Alzheimer?s patients were taken to NC Hospitals. One of the patients, 84-year-old Rachel Holliday has died.

Police say they are trying to determine whether over-medication occurred.
The State Bureau of Investigation and the Medicaid Investigations Unit of the Attorney General's Office are overseeing the investigation.

According to experts, North Carolina nursing home neglect and abuse is a serious issue of concern at assisted living facilities that house dementia and Alzheimer?s presents. One reason for this is that some nursing homes may practice chemical restraint, which involves using medication to control residents? behavior. Sometimes, a patient may be treated with antipsychotic drugs merely because he or she is exhibiting problem behavior, such as wandering, aggression, or shouting at people, even though he/she doesn?t have a medical condition that merits the medications' use.

Prescription drug abuse involving unnecessary, anti-psychotic meds can cause strokes and even kill elderly residents. Overmedicating a patient or making him/her take prescription meds for no other reason than control can be grounds for a Chapel Hill nursing home negligence lawsuit.

Britthaven runs 33 nursing homes in the state. While four of the assisted living facilities received top ranking from Medicare?s 5-star nursing home rating system, 12 of them, including Britthaven, earned no more than two stars. Over the years, a number of nursing home nursing home negligence lawsuits have been filed against the Chapel Hill assisted living facility. The long-term care facility was sued for North Carolina wrongful death after a patient who had been restrained died.

State launches criminal probe of Chapel Hill nursing home, WRAL, February 19, 2010

Doctors Say Medication Is Overused in Dementia, NY Times, June 24, 2008

Related Web Resources:
Dementia Patients On Antipsychotic Meds At Risk, Medicine.net

North Carolina Division of Aging and Adult Services

Britthaven of Chapel Hill

Full post as published by North Carolina Injury Lawyer Blog on March 04, 2010 (boomark / email).