The problematic issue of cameras in nursing homes

When an elderly loved one is in a nursing home and they suffer from dementia or any other condition that makes it hard for them to reliably report any neglect or abuse they may experience, what’s to be done?

One Florida woman thinks she has the answer: cameras in the rooms. She’s been campaigning for changes in state law and asking Florida officials to make changes after her elderly mother was the victim of nursing home abuse. 

Unfortunately, only a handful of states have laws on the books that permit families to put cameras in private rooms over the objection of nursing home administrators or staff – and Florida is not one of them.

Why are cameras in nursing homes so controversial?

The largest objections to cameras in nursing homes has to do with the potential invasion of privacy, both for the patient who needs to be protected and their roommates and visitors. Those who object to cameras in the rooms cite problems protecting residents from being filmed while bathing, changing their clothes or using the bathroom.

Advocates on the other side say that there are viable solutions to the privacy issues. Like other states that do permit cameras, staff members could be informed that they might be on camera when they are hired – and roommates would be asked to sign waivers. Cameras could also be narrowly focused so that they exclude bathrooms and areas where the resident might change their clothes. These tactics have proved successful in other states.

The real problem may simply come down to the simple fact that nursing homes don’t want cameras on the premises. Staff members say that they feel that cameras are offensive, stressful and have “the potential to demoralize” the workers.

For now, whether or not you can put a camera in a patient’s room is up to the facility – and that continues to put nursing home residents at a disadvantage. If your loved one is the victim of nursing home neglect or abuse, legal guidance is available.