We’ve all read stories about elder abuse and neglect. Even if you pay good money, incidents still happen. Recently, an episode on Oprah spotlighted this growing and very alarming social problem. The segment featured Jaki, a dutiful daughter who thought she had her bed-ridden father’s best interests at heart when she hired a caretaker named Anastasia to care for him while Jaki was at work. Her father was frail and suffering from dementia and a series of strokes, so Anastasia cared for Jaki’s dad in-home and full-time.

Jaki installed a surveillance camera because she “didn’t trust anybody” but after a while, failed to check on the tapes due to her busy lifestyle. After several weeks and acting on the sole basis of her intuition, she checked the tapes. What she saw shocked and devastated her. Jaki relates, “she just starts taking her fist and just beating him in his chest and in his stomach. I think every place on his body that she could actually strike him, she did.”

Devastated, Jaki called the police. Anastasia was “charged on multiple counts of second-degree assault, reckless endangerment and vulnerable adult abuse. After posting her $5,000 bail, Anastasia fled the country…just eight days before her trial.”

Sadness aside, what can we learn from this horrible incident? Here are some important points on using cameras in the home:

On the Con Side 

Cameras are often seen as “Big Brother,” taking away privacy from those who deserve respect and dignity in their later life. As one nursing home owner said, “A lot of intimate care takes place at the bedside.” Nursing home workers feel unjustly scrutinized. The nursing homes are concerned about issues of possible lawsuits if workers are accused.

On the Pro Side 

Some nursing home operators say the cameras ensure the staff is well trained (and behaved). Cameras can validate that bruises were simply a result of a restless night and prevent a lawsuit.  Proponents say they are necessary since mandatory background checks on caregivers are not a deterrent to what some see as rampant elder abuse. One facility in Florida saw their liability-insurance premiums fall from $57,000 last year to $11,000. They see this as a way of defraying the cost of the equipment.

So what should you do if you suspect elder abuse? Follow these simple steps:

1. First, know what to look for and what the signs are: physical symptoms like bruises, withdrawn behavior and unaccounted financial changes.
2. Experts agree that you should probably not talk to the abuser. They may flee or retaliate.
3. Do follow your intuition – if you feel something is wrong, it probably is. Don’t worry about not being “nice.”  Better to be safe than sorry.
4. If you have evidence, report it to authorities right away. If you suspect there is imminent danger, call 911 and report to the police.
5. If there is no imminent danger, contact your local welfare and social service agencies.
6. If the abuse happens at an institution like a nursing home, contact your state’s long-term care ombudsman.

For more information, go to the website for the National Center for Elder Abuse. To find your local and state agencies, check out this AARP bulletin.

Filed under: Care Facilities, Elder Issues, Health & Safety, Long Term Care