Over the past decade, long-term care (LTC) homes across Canada have made important progress in reducing inappropriate antipsychotic use. By focusing on person-centred care strategies to address dementia-related behaviours, these efforts achieved meaningful improvements in quality of care, benefiting residents, care partners and care providers. Between 2014-2015 and 2019-2020, the rate of potentially inappropriate antipsychotic use dropped from 27.2 to 20.2 per cent.
Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic brought new challenges. Staffing shortages and high turnover made it difficult to sustain progress and rates of inappropriate use have risen in many areas. Healthcare Excellence Canada’s (HEC) newest program, the Sparking Change in the Appropriate Use of Antipsychotics (AUA) Awards Program, aims to support LTC homes to use person-centred care approaches, build upon the previous success and bring teams across Canada together to improve care.
The AUA approach
The AUA approach focuses on person-centred care by tailoring strategies to meet the unique needs of each resident. Responsive behaviours are often a result of unmet needs, confusion or frustration due to changes residents are experiencing. By understanding the resident and their family and creating a care plan centred on their specific needs, it’s often possible to reduce or stop using unnecessary antipsychotic medications. The AUA approach is a full team approach and is most successful when all members of the resident’s care team have a common goal, share and review data and support and reinforce each other’s work. By collaborating, teams can improve residents’ quality of life, foster a positive staff culture and strengthen family involvement.
Success stories and impact
Hundreds of long-term care homes across Canada have made significant progress in reducing inappropriate antipsychotic use through the Appropriate Use of Antipsychotics (AUA) approach. In New Brunswick, 52 per cent of participating residents had their antipsychotic doses reduced or discontinued by 2018. By 2019, over half of participants in Newfoundland and PEI achieved similar outcomes. In Quebec, the OPUS-AP – PEPS initiative now includes all 313 publicly funded long-term care and alternative homes. Recent efforts in British Columbia have expanded this success, with 59 per cent of participating care homes reporting a reduction in antipsychotic use – highlighting the transformative impact of person-centred care.
Program details
The Sparking Change in AUA Awards Program provides LTC teams with tailored support to reduce inappropriate antipsychotic use and improve person-centred care. Each team is assigned a coach, has access to a comprehensive toolbox of resources and can participate in monthly learning and networking events. The program fosters collaboration, offering opportunities to learn from their peers, share strategies and build on proven approaches. Designed with flexibility and minimal reporting requirements, it equips teams to achieve meaningful improvements in resident care and quality of life.
Furthermore, all teams participating in the Sparking Change in the Appropriate Use of Antipsychotics Awards Program have the opportunity to win financial prizes. Some of the awards will be evaluation-based, while others will be chosen through random draws. Once teams register for the program, they will receive an information package with more details on each award opportunity and related scoring criteria, where applicable.
Whether teams are just starting or already have an initiative in place, this program provides resources to build on their work and drive meaningful change in resident care. Are you ready to spark change?
Learn more and register at healthcareexcellence.ca/sparkingchange
