Spying on Seniors: How Granny Cams allow relatives to see the bigger picture

In 2012, Doris Racher noticed that items had begun disappearing from the room of her 96-year old mother, Eryetha Mayberry, a dementia patient in Oklahoma City. After deciding to put a video surveillance camera resembling an alarm clock in her mother’s room, Racher was horrified to find much more than petty theft occurring – the staff members were emotionally and physically abusive.

A more recent incident occurred in Andover, Kansas when Donna Colcher, a stroke victim and dementia patient at a local nursing home was mistreated by an RN and two nurses aides. Her husband installed a hidden camera to confirm his suspicions and within 12 hours the video revealed horrific treatment.

Unfortunately, these instances of elder abuse are becoming increasingly common. Shocking stories of stroke patients being taunted and left without food, Alzheimer’s patients being physically abused, and myriad cases of verbal abuse are being exposed due to relatives turning towards the one technology that shows them what’s really happening behind the scenes – surveillance cameras.

One in 20 are mistreatedAccording to an AlertBulletin published by CNA Financial, one in 20 elderly residents of nursing homes are mistreated, and for each documented case of abuse or neglect, at least five go unreported. Cleverly called “granny cams,” these surveillance devices are designed to protect residents who may not be able to speak up on instances of abuse by employees, or even resident-on-resident violence.

Georgia Anetzberger is the president of the Washington-based National Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse, and she expects an increased number of states to accept surveillance camera usage, as the technology is not so taboo as in past years. “There’s a comfort level with cameras that can catch actions that are disturbing and unlawful,” Anetzberger said. “Without these cameras, it probably wouldn’t be possible to get these kinds of outcomes.”

States are taking actionCurrently, there are no states that expressly prohibit granny cams.

• In South Carolina, current legislation allows for video footage to be used in both civil and criminal courts. 
• Oklahoma has a law explicitly permitting the use of cameras in long-term care facilities. This law, as well as in South Carolina, Texas, Maryland and New Mexico, penalizes anyone who tampers with the video surveillance technology. 
• In both New York and Ohio, state attorney generals have used camera footage in lawsuits against nursing homes. 
• Maryland and New Mexico have both adopted laws expressly for video surveillance in regard to nursing homes and long-term care facilities. In New Mexico, residents must be informed of their right to video surveillance when entering a long-term care facility. 
• Following Donna Colcher's abuse at a federally rated 5-star nursing home in Kansas, state representatives have begun drafting legislation. 
• Minnesota passed legislation in 2009 giving adult foster-care facilities the right to video surveillance in order to cut down on staff costs; however, this legislation does not specifically address other care facilities. 
• Tennessee is currently ranked 38th in the country for nursing home care, with responses in a national nursing home study showing poor staffing, a lack of professional care, over medication of residents, and less than three hours per day of direct resident care. 
• The Florida Senate Judiciary Committee recently approved legislation that will make it more difficult for plaintiffs to seek punitive damages in court against care facilities. 

Texas leads the nation in resident-initiated monitoringMore than 12 years ago, Texas was the first state to enact legislation on resident-initiated monitoring, and is still the current comparison for other states drafting their own laws. Texas law provides five conditions for resident-initiated monitoring:

• Permission must be obtained from the roommates of the resident, and these roommates may include conditions to the agreement (such as the camera never being pointed directly towards them). 
• Notices must be posted throughout the nursing home or care facility to notify residents, visitors and staff of the cameras. 
• The resident themselves must provide consent for monitoring unless deemed incapable, in which case a family member or relative may make the decision on the resident’s behalf. 
• Only unedited, un-enhanced recordings or videotapes may be used as evidence in court, and must be time and date-stamped. 
• If covert monitoring is discovered, it cannot be considered grounds for discharge but must be brought to video surveillance standards. 

As more and more families are turning towards cameras as a way to protect their loved ones, small businesses must be aware of the legislation in their state. Those in favor of video surveillance monitoring believe the cameras would improve the resident’s overall quality of life and their safety, while also lowering theft rates and increasing employee productivity. Those opposing granny cams are afraid the technology will eventually replace human contact, reduce staff interaction with residents, or even be used to bully residents.

Is the technology of the granny cam an invasion of privacy, or a helpful tool in protecting loved ones unable to protect themselves? What would you do if you suspected a loved one was being mistreated in a nursing home? We encourage you to educate your customers on the available options for protecting what matters.

Resources:

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/11/18/watchful-eye-in-nursing-homes/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0

http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/granny_cam_law_aimed_at_curbing_nursing-home_abuse_takes_effect_in_oklahoma

http://www.marylandnursinghomelawyerblog.com/nursing_home_legislation/

http://texastitle19.com/2011/03/09/texas-nursing-home-cam/

http://www.startribune.com/local/130091608.html

http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20130505/PC16/130509618

http://www.tennesseelawblog.com/nursing_home_neglect/

http://www.kake.com/home/headlines/I-Team-Investigation-Nursing-Home-Nightmare-Part-2-260052631.html?ref=631

Lighting conditions for optimal video quality

If you’re the first time owner of a hidden camera, there are several things you should know about lighting conditions and camera positioning before you begin recording footage.

Hidden surveillance cameras feature a pinhole camera, which due to the physical size of the lens, require well lit rooms for optimal image quality.

The good news is that many hidden cameras feature night vision technology, which is best when lighting conditions are not monitored and controlled, such as when you are away and lights are turned off, or overnight. Overall, night vision works better than non-night vision options even under typical household lighting conditions.

And when it comes to the positioning of a night vision camera, think of it like a flashlight. You aim your flashlight beam directly towards what you want to see. You may still see what is just on the edges of the beam, though it is more difficult to see. So, if you’re recording in the dark, be sure to point the camera lens’ “beam” to the area you wish to view best.

So, while night vision offers the best video quality in all lighting environments, keep in mind that while hidden surveillance cameras by their nature may not pick up the finest details of a subject, they will pick up the most important ones like male vs. female, ethnicity, type of clothing, physical activity of the person being recorded, etc.

Let’s take a look at a few images pulled from video footage. The images below show color video taken in well-lit and low light conditions using both non-night vision and night vision cameras. Notice the dramatic improvement in quality on the images done in house, especially the “well lit” conditions.

Non Night Vision recording in average lighting, notice the halo on the package:

Recording in average lighting with Night Vision:

Night Vision recording in complete darkness:

Lighting conditions are just one factor to consider when selecting the best hidden camera for your business or personal surveillance needs. The overall quality of the camera itself will play a large role in video quality – no matter the lighting conditions. If you want to ensure you’re selecting a higher quality device, we highly recommend looking for products designed in the U.S.

Dealer Strategies: How To Newsjack

If you’re active in social media, then you’ve likely employed a strategy content marketing strategists call newsjacking. If you follow our Facebook page, then you’ve seen our “Caught on Camera” posts that show video footage of actual crimes taking place and reported in the news. In most cases, these posts show our products in action, most often capturing burglaries or abuse. This is the most basic form of newsjacking.

The term newsjacking refers to the process of attaching your brand, ideas or angles into breaking news, in real-time, in order to generate media coverage and engagement among your customers and prospects. In simpler terms: finding digital angles to major news events. The concept, when correctly executed, may also be employed in email marketing and may be reinforced with a clear call-to-action on your website.

The benefits of newsjacking include boosting SEO, engaging readers with timely commentary, sharing a new angle on a timely topic, and positioning yourself as a thought leader in your industry.

 

Whether you’re already doing this, or looking for new ways to reach potential customers, it’s important to note that you walk a fine line when you newsjack. This is especially true in our industry when readers might view it as fear-mongering or taking advantage of tragic news stories, so we urge you to be sensitive and use sound judgment. 

Before sharing a few tips, we thought we’d share a few examples of newsjacking done right – and wrong:

First, the Good

Police Newsjacking – Urgent Genius’ Jon Burkhart shares his thoughts on the Seattle Police Department’s use of “planned spontaneity” when they handed out Doritos at Hempfest with a sticker attached advising Hempfesters of the do’s and don’ts of the new marijuana laws. “Operation Orange Fingers” attracted global news coverage.

And one of the most famous examples to date of timely newsjacking is when Oreo Cookie used the Superbowl power outage to cleverly capitalize on the event with their Twitter post.

Then, the Bad and the Ugly

Newsjacks in poor taste include Kenneth Cole who Tweeted during the Arab Spring uprising in Egypt: "Millions are in uproar in #Cairo. Rumor is they heard our new spring collection is now available online... -KC.", and Kentucky Fried Chicken in Thailand who posted a Facebook update after an earthquake stating “Let’s hurry home and follow the earthquake news. And don’t forget to order your favorite KFC menu.’”

Stay One Of The Good Guys

So, when you see a story in the news that you think you might be able to leverage, we encourage you to review the following tips courtesy of Content Marketing Institute’s “Newsjacking: 6 Tips to Help Your Branded Content Use the News.”

• Stay tuned: You have to know what’s going on in the world if you want to newsjack. It’s crucial to plug in. 
• Be very discerning: A military coup, the death of a celebrity, a natural disaster — these are not events of which you should take advantage. 
• Act fast: To get the most traction; hop on news as soon as you can. 
• Make a natural connection 
• Take a constructive angle especially in the case of a disaster or tragedy. 

Sources: Content Marketing Institute’s “Newsjacking: 6 Tips to Help Your Branded Content Use the News.” For the complete post, visit: http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/2013/01/help-branded-content-use-news/

LUX and FOV – What you and your customers should know about these hidden camera specifications

Take every opportunity to shed some light on product details to your customers.

A little known light measurement called LUX rating is important when selecting the right hidden camera. A higher LUX rating is actually a poorer quality camera. Simply stated, the LUX is the metric unit for measuring the amount of light that falls on an object. A camera with a 1-LUX rating claims to be able to produce an image by the light of one candle that is about three feet away from the subject. Many cameras on the market today can do just that. The problem is that the resulting image may be of very poor quality. A grainy, monochrome image is probably not what your customers wanted when they purchased their “low light” hidden camera. Your customers will appreciate your expertise when you advise them on LUX ratings. Let them know that they should select a camera with a rating of .01 or lower to achieve a high quality image especially in average household lighting. SleuthGear hidden cameras sport a LUX rating of .01 to .0001.

The average consumer knows a camera's resolution affects image quality but many are not aware of another factor: field of view (FOV). It is the area of the inspection captured on the camera’s imager. The size of the field of view and the size of the camera’s imager directly affect the image resolution (one determining factor in accuracy). Working distance is the distance between the back of the lens and the target object. A camera with a wide FOV is more likely to capture an accurate image. Consider that a bird has an almost 360 degree field of view and humans, almost 180 degree. If a customer purchases a hidden camera with a 70 degree FOV (which is fairly standard for many hidden cameras) they should expect the FOV to be extremely narrow. KJB’s standards are above average in the industry. That is why many of our hidden cameras have an FOV of 92 degrees – the highest standard for pinhole cameras.