Crisis avoidance with web cameras and other technology – why not?
Why wait for a crisis to decide to deploy web cameras in senior care? Did you know that, according to the Administration on Aging, this is the year is the year of elder abuse prevention? Perhaps it should be the year for webcam deployment in all senior care settings, especially now that that the Frontline story aimed an investigative spotlight on assisted living. So I heard a story this week about an elderly person abused by a home care worker – not surprising, really, when a care recipient is frail, and no one is around except the care provider. The family subsequently added a web camera into the home. According to a family member, it was quite a deterrent for the subsequent hires, made aware from the start about its presence. Plus, it was as an enabler for day-time check-ins while an adult daughter was at work. So why aren’t web cameras ubiquitous in senior care settings – especially to observe care activities like entrances and exits of workers when residents are less mobile, in bed or in wheelchairs? Your explanations and alternative thoughts are welcome about these settings: