Arizona Disability Advocates for Chemical Restraint Abuse
The use of chemical restraint is one of the most controversial issues in care for the developmentally disabled. Though the use of restraints, both chemical and physical, is occasionally necessary in a group home situation in order to protect the safety of residents and staff members, these occasions should be rare. Furthermore, outside of emergency situations, medication should always be used with the health and well-being of the resident in mind, not the convenience of staff members.
Group homes should always be primarily concerned with promoting the highest quality of life possible for all of their patients. Unfortunately, in the rush to cut costs, many group homes employ overworked and undertrained staff members who do not promote this quality of life. In these situations, staff members can be tempted or encouraged to use shortcuts such as chemical restraints in order to make their jobs easier. However, medication should only be used to support residents’ health and well-being, not to make things easier for staff members. If this is happening in a group home, it is abuse.
If you have a loved one who is residing in a group home in Phoenix, Tempe, Scottsdale or elsewhere in Maricopa County, and you suspect the abusive use of medication as chemical restraints, you should consult an experienced Arizona group home abuse lawyer to discuss your case.
About Chemical Restraint
Broadly speaking, the term “chemical restraint” refers to the use of medication such as tranquilizers to control patient or resident behavior in a hospital, group home, or nursing home situation. Many health care professionals consider chemical restraints to be a less invasive and more humane version of physical restraints, such as chest vests or wrist restraints. However, under federal health care regulations, chemical and physical restraints are considered to be the same, and both are only to be used in extreme circumstances in which the patient presents a threat to himself or others. The regulations state the restraints, whether physical or chemical, are only to be used to prevent immediate physical danger to the patient or others and should be removed as soon as safety permits.
Chemical Restraints in Group Homes
Outside of emergency situations as discussed above, medication should never be used to limit residents’ ability to function and control their behavior. Unfortunately, the undertrained staff members at many group homes lack the ability to properly handle residents’ behavioral problems and promote the over-use of medication in order to control residents’ behavior. Medications commonly used as chemical restraints include tranquilizers, antidepressants, antipsychotics, and anti-anxiety drugs.
Identifying Chemical Restraint Abuse
Identifying chemical restraint abuse can often be difficult, as the drugs used as chemical restraint often do have a medical purpose as well, and identifying the difference between legitimate medical use and chemical restraint for the convenience of staff members is not always easy. You should regularly consult with medical and mental health specialists outside of the group home to assure that your loved one’s medication program is appropriate.
Contact an Arizona Group Home Abuse Lawyer
If you suspect that abusive use of chemical restraints may be taking place in your loved one’s group home in Phoenix, Tempe, Scottsdale or elsewhere in Maricopa County, it is best to consult with an Arizona group home abuse lawyer to discuss your case. For more information, please visit http://www.grouphomeabuselawyer.com/
