The state of Illinois has taken a major step in protecting seniors in their state. They have signed a bill into law that allows residents of nursing homes to legally set up cameras and audio monitoring devices in their rooms.
The legislation came about because the families of people in nursing homes lobbied the legislature. However, the law does come with some caveats. First, the patient or their families have to buy, install, and maintain the equipment. The resident and any roommates in the room also have to consent to be recorded. On the flip side, the nursing home cannot retaliate against any resident that chooses to use this equipment, and there are both misdemeanor and felony penalties for any nursing home staff that interferes with the equipment.
The recordings from these devices will be admissible in administrative, civil and criminal proceedings.
This is a fantastic idea. One of the challenging parts of fighting elder abuse is getting enough evidence. Nursing homes have strict security and may prevent family members from trying to get evidence under the guise of maintaining safety. Now families will be able to get recording and find out for themselves what happened.
Do you need advice about whether or not to set up such a system in your family member’s room? Do you suspect they are being abused? Contact Schenk Smith Trial Attorneys for a free consultation.
