Nursing Home Social Services and Post-Acute Care: Does More Qualified Staff Improve Behavioral Symptoms and Reduce Antipsychotic Drug Use?

An increasing number of post-acute care patients are admitted to skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) with behavioral symptoms such as wandering and rejecting care, which can interfere with care and place a patient at risk of social isolation or injury. This study examines whether increasing the qualifications of social service staff through using a greater proportion of qualified social workers (QSWs) instead of paraprofessionals improves patients' behavioral symptoms and reduces the use of antipsychotic medications.