Case study - Safe and Appropriate use of Psychotropic Medicines - Residential Aged Care

This is one of a suite of resources to support aged care providers to deliver evidence-based care to older people who receive government funded aged care services.

It has the dual aim of helping aged care providers to understand their role in mitigating the risks of using psychotropic medicines to manage behaviour in older people with cognitive disability or impairment as described in the Psychotropic Medicines in Cognitive Disability or Impairment Clinical Care Standard (2024); and assisting aged care providers meet their obligations to provide quality, evidence-based clinical care, as described in the Aged Care Quality Standards.

This fictional scenario follows the sequence of an older person’s care pathway with a residential aged care provider. The focus is on the systems and processes that should be in place to support high-quality care of older people living with cognitive impairment. There are four sections that can be used individually or together to support understanding of concepts in the aged care quality standards and of the safe and appropriate use of psychotropic medicines as described in the Psychotropic Medicines in Cognitive Disability or Impairment Clinical Care Standard.

Person-centred care – commencing with the provider, identifying their care needs and the roles and responsibilities for delivering care
Medication management
Managing changed behaviours
Transitions of Care – acute deterioration resulting in hospital admission and discharge

Downloads