Should I Install a “Granny Cam” to Protect My Loved One in a Nursing Home?

 Posted on October 02, 2019 in Nursing Home Abuse

If you have a loved one who is living in a nursing home, you probably do not get to visit him or her as often as you would like. In your absence, of course, you have the right to expect the facility to provide quality care for your loved one and to treat him or her with dignity and respect. Unfortunately, nursing home residents do not always receive the care and ethical treatment that they deserve.

Horror stories from long-term care facilities across the country have left the family members of nursing home residents wondering what they can do to protect their loved ones. For some families in Illinois, the answer could be a monitoring device commonly referred to as a “granny cam.”

What Are Granny Cams?

In 2016, Illinois lawmakers passed a measure to explicitly permit nursing home residents or their family members to install surveillance devices, including audio and video recorders, in the residents’ rooms. Nursing homes are not obligated to provide the devices or any related services, such as wireless internet access, but facilities cannot prevent the installation or monitoring of such devices.

Most often, these devices take the form of small, unobtrusive video cameras that either provide a live feed via an internet connection or save the video to storage drives. Granny cams are not permitted in every state. In fact, Illinois is one of just nine states to have any type of law that addresses such cameras.

Requirements for Notification and Consent

According to the Authorized Electronic Monitoring in Long-Term Facilities Act, the privacy of all nursing home residents is a top priority. Before you can install granny cam in your loved one’s room, you must notify the facility in writing—the facility’s permission is not required, but you do need to tell them. You must also get the permission of all of the residents who live in the room with your loved one. If the resident cannot consent, you must obtain permission from his or her guardian. The residents who share the room have the right to withdraw their consent for any reason at any time. Finally, a clear notification must be posted outside the door of the room stating that electronic monitoring is underway.

Under the law, nursing home cams are only permitted to stream or record audio or video. Devices that take still photographs are not included under the law’s provisions. In addition, recording devices may not be hidden. They must be out in a fixed position in the open.

Speak With an Illinois Nursing Home Injury Attorney

If you are considering installing a granny cam in your loved one’s room in a nursing home, an experienced Chicago nursing home abuse attorney can help you take the necessary steps. Call 312-535-4625 for a free consultation to discuss your options for protecting your loved one.

Sources:

https://health.usnews.com/health-care/for-better/articles/should-you-use-a-granny-cam-to-monitor-a-loved-ones-care

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=3673&ChapterID=21