Federal officials have claimed that approximately 2,500 Massachusetts nursing home residents were provided with such powerful antipsychotic drugs in the year 2009, which were not proposed or suggested for their medical health.

Boston Globe reported that data composed by the Centre for Medicare and Medicaid Services prove that 28 percent of Massachusetts nursing home residents were given antipsychotics in 2009.

As per the report, barring a few handfuls, others did not have a medical condition that called for such treatment.

The officials further added that such drugs are often given to patients with dementia, which puts them at risk for serious side effects, even death. An official, who works with the organization that represents the state's nursing homes, admitted that the number is too high and a better training is needed to curb the situation.