Overmedication occurs when an elderly patient takes or is given excessive amounts of medication and is a type of elder abuse and neglect. This definition can also be used if a nursing home resident takes unnecessary medications. Overmedication can happen by mistake or can be an intentional action taken by the staff of a nursing home.
If a nursing home resident is overmedicated intentionally, this will be considered a form of elder abuse. If a nursing home resident is accidentally overmedicated, this could be a sign of nursing home neglect.