Opinion: Nursing homes may start sedating your elderly parents — and, eventually, you — because they don’t have enough workers

Staffing levels ‘significantly impact’ the use of antipsychotic medication, new research has found

By Brett Arends

About 24,000 additional nursing-home residents will be sedated just to keep them under control as a result of the defeat of the Biden administration’s staffing mandate, new research says.

The chances of your parent or grandparent being subject to so-called “chemical restraint” by nursing-home staff is about 10% higher than it would have been if the staffing mandate had survived, according to the analysis just published by the Pension Research Council at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business. 

This was based on a detailed analysis of staffing levels and sedative use across America’s 16,000 nursing homes between 2012 and 2021. Researchers Jong Meong Lim, Ken Moon and Minje Park obtained regulatory data on antipsychotic use, staffing levels and other information about nursing homes from the federal government’s Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services through Freedom of Information Act requests.

“Our analyses consistently find that staffing levels significantly impact nursing homes’ antipsychotic medication use,” they report. “We find that increasing a nursing home’s nurse staff hours per resident day (HPRD) decreases its usage of antipsychotics by 6.039 residents on average, even after controlling for resident, zip code, and nursing home characteristics.”

As they explain, “patients placed under chemical restraints require less work. By reducing workloads rather than fulfilling them, nursing homes can hire fewer nurse staff while utilizing antipsychotic medications to still manage their patient load.”

They find that nursing homes run for profit are most likely to resort to such “chemical restraints” to control residents.

Co-author Ken Moon, a professor at Cornell’s SC Johnson College of Business, says the true figure may end up being even higher than 24,000. That’s because of the Trump administration’s nationwide purge of immigrants without legal status, which is making it even harder for nursing homes to find staff. (The nursing-home industry has also complained about this.)

Previous studies have also shown a correlation between higher staffing levels, better care and less abuse of sedatives or “chemical restraints” in nursing homes. However, this is the first to look specifically at the possible impact of the staffing mandates pushed by the Biden administration.

The staffing mandates, which were proposed by the Biden administration in 2024, would have set minimum levels of nursing staff per resident. They were defeated earlier this year as a result of a concerted campaign by the nursing-home industry and its political allies. The rules were blocked by the courts in April and seemingly killed for good by the Trump administration’s One Big Beautiful Bill, which was passed by Republican majorities in both houses of Congress and which the president signed into law earlier this month. The law imposed a moratorium on the rules until 2034.

There are inevitable caveats. Nursing homes are still subject to various regulations at the federal and state levels. (How well facilities are monitored and regulations enforced is a subject for debate.) The Biden staffing mandate couldn’t wave a magic wand: Nursing-home operators complained that they already couldn’t find enough staff at prevailing wages and that many of them couldn’t afford the extra workers required, and they warned that some nursing homes would simply close down instead. The 24,000 figure comes from applying the theoretical staffing levels to nursing homes’ 2019 occupancy levels. Obviously, this involves projections and estimates.

In an emailed statement, Holly Harmon of the nursing-home industry’s trade association, AHCA/NCAL, said “our providers are committed to strengthening the long term care workforce, but they need meaningful support.” The industry, she added, urges policymakers to support its “Better Way” policy priorities.

Alas, one of those includes protecting Medicaid — the main financial support for America’s nursing homes — from cuts. (The Republican megabill signed into law by President Donald Trump earlier this month, includes deep cuts to federal Medicaid spending — more than $1 trillion over 10 years, according to the Congressional Budget Office).

It’s long been known that some or many understaffed nursing homes have resorted to the use of antipsychotic medications, typically meaning sedatives and tranquilizers, to make up for a shortage of staff. A U.S. Senate subcommittee reported as long ago as 1975 on this abuse of medications as a way to keep residents docile and easy to manage. A recent study suggested that nearly one resident in four is being medicated in this way. 

Some nursing-home operators have responded to increased oversight by exploiting regulatory loopholes, critics also argue. This includes diagnosing more residents with conditions such as schizophrenia, where the use of antipsychotics draws less scrutiny, they say.

But look on the bright side. Based on the evidence of recent decades, including during the pandemic, hardly anybody outside of a nursing home really cares what happens to the people inside. 

They figure it won’t happen to them, anyway. It will only happen to other people. Of course it will. 

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Opinion: Nursing homes may start sedating your elderly parents — and, eventually, you — because they don’t have enough workers 

Grand Larceny Investigation Leads to Arrest in Chemung County

Press Release

On February 25, 2025, the New York State Police at SP Horseheads were contacted regarding a report of a case of elder financial abuse involving the theft of nearly $92,000 from the victim's bank accounts.

Following a thorough investigation, it was determined the suspect, Steven R. Padgett, age 57, of North Carolina, unlawfully accessed the bank accounts of his elderly parents, making fraudulent purchases and unauthorized ATM withdrawals totaling $91,995.37. The victims were identified as vulnerable elderly individuals.

On June 6, 2025, Padgett was arrested for Grand Larceny 2nd (C Felony). Padgett was taken into custody without incident and processed at SP Horseheads.

He was arraigned in the Village of Horseheads Court, where a full Stay Away Order of Protection was issued on behalf of the victim. Padgett was released on his recognizance (ROR) and is scheduled to reappear in court on August 13, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. 

Source:
Grand Larceny Investigation Leads to Arrest in Chemung County 

Former Newton client hoping attorney's disbarment ends term on Rockdale board

Sherri Washington

by Tom Spigolon

COVINGTON, Ga. — A Newton County resident says she was glad to hear about the state Supreme Court's ruling today, June 22, that a Rockdale County commissioner can no longer practice law in Georgia because she "failed to act diligently" for clients in time-sensitive cases. 

Tracy Belcher told The Covington News Wednesday she hoped the Georgia Supreme Court's ruling that Commissioner Sherri Lin Washington be disbarred and surrender her law license will lead to her being removed from the Rockdale County Board of Commissioners.

Belcher said Washington never paid her after a Rockdale County court ruled in August 2021 after the Covington resident sued the commissioner for return of the $3,000 fee Washington charged her for a case on which she took almost no action.

"I am so happy," Belcher said.

Belcher said she hired Washington after she successfully represented her in a previous, separate case. She also was told any other attorney would have needed only a few months to do what it had taken Washington five years to complete.

Then in 2019, neighbors repeatedly complained to police that Belcher's mother and father — who both suffered from dementia — often roamed their neighborhood and sought entrance to others' houses. She was forced to quit her job as a medical assistant and move in with her parents to take care of them. 

Belcher also said she needed an attorney quickly to avoid the courts taking action to take custody of her parents. She paid Washington in 2019 to do the legal work needed to become her parents' guardians and was told it would take about 30 days to complete. 

Washington then never returned calls or communicated about the status of the case and Belcher ultimately was unable to be appointed as custodian, she said. Luckily, her parents stopped leaving their house and it eventually was not an issue.

She later sued Washington's Conyers law firm, The Washington Law Group, for return of her fee. A judge ordered her to pay Belcher $3,096 in August 2021 during a hearing at which Washington failed to appear, according to court records.

Washington, however, did not pay as ordered and Belcher said she filed a complaint with the Bar Association. 

Her interactions with her clients — detailed in the Supreme Court's ruling — correspond to actions Belcher said Washington took in her case.

The Supreme Court's unanimous ruling upheld a State Disciplinary Review Board recommendation that Washington be disbarred "for her multiple violations of the Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct in connection with three separate client matters." 

The Court said Washington "failed to abide by her clients’ decisions, desires and directions regarding the scope and objectives of the representations; she failed to act diligently in filing, pursuing or responding in any of these clients’ matters; she failed to communicate or consult with these clients (or respond to their inquiries) about matters of importance in, or even the status of, their cases; and she failed to properly and timely respond to the personally served notices of investigation relating to each of these matters."

Among the claims cited by the Disciplinary Review Board in its recommendation was one from March 2017 in which a woman hired Washington to represent her in a divorce case. Washington did not file it quickly as requested, did not file a protective order, failed to keep the client advised about the case, and other items associated with the case. 

The client said she ultimately lost her health insurance coverage on her husband’s policy, was denied an equitable division of marital assets, denied alimony and required to pay her former husband $5,000 in attorney fees.

Other instances included Washington accepting a $515 fee to appeal a child molestation case, missing the appeal deadline and not returning the fee; and the attorney taking a $3,000 fee for a lawsuit against a building contractor, taking no action and not returning the fee until a Bar Association investigation began.

Washington finally was served with a formal complaint and "failed to timely answer or otherwise respond." That led to the Board's appointed special master finding the county commissioner was "in default such that the factual allegations and the disciplinary violations charged in the formal complaint were deemed admitted," the ruling stated.

Washington was admitted to the Georgia Bar in 2007. She was elected to an at-large seat on the three-member Rockdale County Commission in 2016 and reelected in 2020. 

Full Article & Source:

Former Newton client hoping attorney's disbarment ends term on Rockdale board

Daughter accused of stealing $60K from elderly parents found not guilty

The daughter at the center of a lengthy fraud case involving her elderly parents has been found not guilty on all charges.

Superior Court Judge Kenneth Pedlar acquitted Shelley Baker, 37 on charges of theft by power attorney, fraud by power of attorney and breach of trust on Friday.

The Belleville woman was charged after a police investigation concluded that between March 2012 and June 2014 she had taken $60,000 from her parents while they were residing at the Belmont Long Term Care Facility. Court heard how her parents lost their savings, their house and are now wards of the province, because the public guardian and trustee took over in the spring of 2014.

"You escaped by slim margins," Pedlar told Baker.  He stated it was a sad story of a divided family and that he was still suspicious of ''who done it' while handing down his verdict.  "You have been given the benefit of reasonable doubt."

Applause rang out in the courtroom, as Baker cried ‘thank you Judge Pedlar.’

Baker said the fraud charges have ruined her life making it impossible for her to get a job, an apartment or credit.

Hastings County Assistant Crown Attorney Jodi Whyte said she was disappointed there wasn't a conviction.

"It's been five years, four counsel and a lot of delays and the important message got lost which is children in this community and all across the country are taking advantage of their elderly parents and stealing their money,” she said in an interview.  "We have to take that seriously.”

Pedlar said the case left him with more questions than answers.

During her testimony, Baker maintained her innocence stating that she, her father and two brothers had access to her parent's joint bank account and she never looked at bank statements.

"I can't say she was fully in possession of the all the (bank) cards, Pedlar stated.

Spreadsheets detailing $36,000 in bank withdrawals from Bakers parents’ joint account and $35,000 in a maxed out line of credit and credit cards were entered as evidence. The Baker family requested a $33,000 line of credit to be spent for renovations so the house could be sold. Baker, testified $50,000 was spent on home renovations. However, bank records presented in court indicated that $10,000 was spent on renovations.

$25,000 of the cash withdrawals were unaccounted for. Court heard how over $11,000 in unpaid Belmont bills racked up and are still owing. A representative from Belmont testified she received a letter from a lawyer stating once the home sold, they would be paid however with the house selling for $70,000 and over $69,000 in debt accrued, there was nothing left.

Prior to Baker taking on the role of power of attorney, Pedlar said $9,000 been drained from her parent's account over the course of two months. He added if it kept up like that all of the funds would have been drained in eight months.

"These people went broke collectively," he said.

"This was a dysfunctional family on all levels full of chaos, physical and sexual abuse, alcoholism...," he described.

He said Baker became 'overwhelmed' and 'stressed' at having to care for her elderly parents when no one else would step up, renovating a condemned house coupled with family dysfunction.

Pedlar agreed with Baker that the duties of power of attorney weren't properly laid out to her.  He said Baker's history of mental illness may have contributed to her poor record keeping.

"She had terrible management skills, no plan, and was blindly failing to keep track of her parent's depleting bank account," he continued.

As for who did it? Whyte said the case doesn’t need to be reopened because, she thinks ‘she had the right person.’

“The difficult thing with these cases is that they only come to the attention of the authorities long after the crime has been committed because somebody stops getting paid, as in this case,” Whyte explained. “Then it's too late the money is gone.”

“These people lost their savings,” she said. “They lost chunks of their income as it came in and they lost the greater part of the value of their home, all while suffering from dementia.”

She echoed the problem is all too common.

“They lived in their homes their whole lives,” she continued. “The value of the home incurred they have pensions from jobs, old age pensions and savings and then their children take over their finances. The next thing we know they are either being moved out of a nice care situation and into a nursing home or being kicked out of their homes because the mortgages aren't being met,” she described.

“It's really a shame.”

Full Article & Source:
Daughter accused of stealing $60K from elderly parents found not guilty