think about this type of abuse, but Nanny/Granny
Cams
are so necessary. Thank God my 91 year old grandmom is very independent
and we don't need any outside help. I know I would have blown my top to
see this happen to a family member.
Oprah Puts
Spotlight on Granny Cams
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:
- First, know what to look for and what the signs
are: physical symptoms like bruises, withdrawn behavior and unaccounted
financial changes. - Experts agree that you should probably not talk to the
abuser. They may flee or retaliate. - 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. - If
you have evidence, report it to authorities right away. If you suspect
there is imminent danger, call 911 and report to the police. - If there is no imminent danger, contact your local welfare
and social service agencies. - 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.
