Families with concerns about placing their relatives in long-term care may soon be given an extra sense of security. A new Illinois bill proposed earlier this month has the potential to give families, whose loved ones are in nursing homes, extra peace of mind through video monitoring.
If approved, the law would allow the installation of video cameras or audio recording devices by families in their relative's nursing home room. Consent would be required of residents who are monitored.
States including Maryland, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and Washington all have passed similar laws. When a family member cannot make an in-person nursing home visit, video access will allow them to check-in on their relatives throughout the day.
Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan said the push for this law stems from complaints of elder abuse in nursing homes. Video and audio recording provides documentation to support allegations that may arise due to nursing home abuse or neglect.
Research conducted by the National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA) has shown that over 50 percent of nursing home staff admitted to mistreating elder patients. Types of abuse involved in the recorded data includes:
-Physical abuse;
-Psychological abuse;
-Sexual abuse;
-Neglect;
-Financial exploitation; and
-Abuse among residents.
One of the studies also involved interviews of 2,000 nursing home residents; 95 percent of which said they had been neglected or seen another resident neglected. Families want to see that their relatives are being well taken care of and know if and when their care is compromised in any way. Passing of this new bill will help them achieve that.
When it comes to family matters, we want to make sure yours is protected. If you are concerned about your loved ones regarding possible nursing home neglect in Illinois, contact an experienced Chicago nursing home abuse attorney. Call the law office of [[title]] at [[phone]] for a free consultation today.