The decision to move a parent or other aging relative into an assisted living facility or a nursing home is often a difficult one for people to make.
On one hand, family members must come to terms with the fact that their loved one may be declining. Many adult children do not want to think of or see their parents as needy in this way. Another issue family members must address at this time is the safety of their parent or other relative.
Providing safe and appropriate care
In many situations, the move to a care facility affords an older person the ability to get the level of care he or she needs. However, reports detailing abuse or neglect of residents in nursing homes understandably makes family members wonder how safe a person really is when they live in a nursing home.
NextAvenue.org explains that the thought of installing a camera in a resident’s room may make relatives feel more confident that the person will be safe. Yet, this very move may expose new concerns related to their privacy.
Privacy and consent
As explained by U.S. News and World Report, cameras in nursing homes may limit the privacy a resident wishes to have. It may also be viewed as an invasion of privacy for a roommate when the resident does not have his or her own room. Finally, the conversations with and actions of any visitors also become less private or secure.
Some assert that a nursing home resident must provide consent to any camera in his or her room. People with dementia or other cognitive impairments may be unable to provide such consent, raising yet another concern about the use of cameras in these facilities.
