Saturday, July 17, 2004

Nursing home clients can videotape care

Lisa J. Tabet El Defensor Chieftain Reporter

Thanks to a new law in New Mexico, residents at the Good Samaritan Village nursing home are among those statewide who now have the option of installing video cameras or audio recorders in their rooms.

The law, signed by Gov. Bill Richardson earlier this year, allows residents or their surrogates to monitor care provided in nursing homes. The law went into effect Thursday.

The law comes in response to several elderly abuse cases in nursing homes in Santa Fe, Ruidoso and around the state. It is also designed to help deter theft from residents, which is a problem in some nursing homes.

Dave Rogers, the administrator for the Good Samaritan nursing home, said the new law is a good program to catch those who might be abusing the system.

No one has installed any recording equipment yet, according to Rogers.

Rogers also said that the new regulations could protect residents not only from abuse from staff, but from outside visitors as well.

Commonly referred to as "Granny Cams," the monitoring devices could serve to protect residents from both abuse and theft.

"The devices will provide one more set of eyes or ears to help family members and facility administrators to be sure that residents are receiving the care and respect they deserve," said Aging and Long-Term Services Department Secretary Michelle Lujan Grisham in a press release Wednesday.

According to the new regulations, residents must notify the nursing home that they plan on installing the equipment, and the nursing home must allow reasonable accommodation of the equipment. Reasonable accommodation, according to the law, includes providing a place to mount the monitoring device, access to power sources and rearranging the room.

The resident bears the cost of the equipment.

Rogers said that he hopes residents and their family members will contact the nurses, staff and administrator of the nursing home if they believe there is a problem that cannot or has not been resolved.

Information on the "Granny Cam" regulations can be found at www.nmaging.state.nm.us. People with concerns or questions about their rights can contact the New Mexico Aging and Long-Term Care Department toll-free at (800) 432-2080.

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