Bill That Would Allow Cameras In Nursing Home Rooms Moves Forward

It's a sign of the times and maybe a sign that could offer many Louisiana families more peace of mind. Should a family have video access to the patient room of someone being cared for at a nursing home or care facility?

The proposed legislation has already moved forward in the Louisiana House of Representatives. If passed by the Senate the bill would allow for video surveillance equipment to be used in patient rooms at nursing homes and care facilities.

The sponsor of the bill Helena Moreno told the Louisiana Radio Network why she believes allowing cameras would be a benefit to not only patients but caregivers as well.

With a camera in a room, you can actually see the actual incident that happened. A camera in a room will be able to prove that yes this may have been just some type of accident.

Obviously, there are privacy concerns that would have to be addressed before the final legislation would be approved. And approval does seem likely since the measure passed in a unanimous vote yesterday in the House. The bill will now move on to the Senate for more debate.

As I understand the measure this does not mean that a patient's everyday activities will be streamed live 24 hours a day. That doesn't mean a family couldn't opt for that kind of connection should the proper paperwork and permissions be granted.

However, the spirit of the legislation seems to be more about allowing for cameras to be present in the room and the data only be made available if video evidence was needed to verify care or validate a complaint.

I would think the only kind of person that would object to this kind of added security would be those that have something to hide. To me, those aren't the kind of people you'd want taking care your loved ones anyway.