"Granny Cams": Would They Eliminate Nursing Home Abuse?
Would video cameras, so called "Granny Cams", make nursing home abuse more difficult? Wes Bledsoe, an advocate for nursing home reform, believes so. Mr. Bledsoe also believes that reporting of crimes, such as assaults and rapes, should be mandatory and that a law should be passed allowing families to install video cameras the rooms of residents to protect their loved ones.
Mr. Bledsoe cites the case of James Curnutt as a prime example of what can happen without these precautions in place. Mr. Curnutt, 41, suffers from a neurodegeneration of the brain known as Pick's Disease, which is similar to the advanced stages of Alzheimers. Last August, while a resident of Oak Hills LIving Center in Jones, Oklahoma, Mr. Curnutt was discovered with bruises on his body. It was later determined that Mr. Curnutt was sexually assaulted and physically abused by two residents at the facility.
Mr. Curnutt's father did not contact police because he thought the facility and the Oklahoma State Department of Health would take action. Unfortunately, because no criminal intent was established, the Oklahoma State Department of Health did not notify the police concerning the incidents. The facility was cited for failing to protect residents from sexual abuse.
The Terry Law Firm supports the idea of family authorized video cameras in nursing home rooms. We believe they would make those inclined to abuse elderly residents think twice before engaging in such conduct. Here is a video of an elderly man being abused by a caregiver in Baltimore, Maryland. While this video was made of a home health worker, the concept and goals are the same: protecting elderly citizens from abuse.
