New Camera Law Is Timely With Recent, Local Alleged Sexual Nursing Home Abuse

In the local news recently is a nursing home abuse story about a nursing home employee accused by witnesses of sexual assault against a resident. The Journal Star’s article can be found by clicking HERE. It was certainly lucky for people to stumble upon the abuse – but that’s not generally the case. We are working on a case now involving another area home in which the family captured, on a hidden clock camera, nurses smothering the resident (their mother). The family became suspicious of abuse after observing signs of weight loss, dehydration, and malnutrition; they put the camera in, but they were still shocked at what they found.

We don’t want to believe nursing home abuse will happen to us and our families – it’s only in the news. The truth, however, is that it clearly is happening locally. The extent is unknown when residents cannot fend for themselves, or in some instances, speak for themselves.

That’s why Gov. Rauner signed a new law, which just went into effect in 2016. It specifically authorizes the use of cameras in resident rooms to prevent abuse. We wrote in a past article about the pending legislation:

We’re very glad to see the law reported as passed in the news, as reported, for example, here:

New law will allow cameras in Illinois nursing homes

It’s always important to know your rights, and this is one that will help you prevent abuse and neglect. Even when you’re not there, a camera can capture what is done, in terms of abuse, or what is not done, in terms of neglect, such as withholding food or deliberately putting it out of reach. These stories serve as a reminder to watch over those that you know in nursing homes.