Nursing homes, consumer groups and other organizations have pooled their resources through a program called Advancing Excellence in America's Nursing Homes. The organization's goal is to reduce by 30,000 the number of nursing home patients who are physically restrained. The timeline for that goal is September.

"We're seeing this very rapid decline because all the interested parties are coming together around this issue," Koren said. "Everyone is putting their best thinking to it to see how we can reduce the use of these restraints."