My family members and I have taken on the responsibility to help care for my 92 year old loved one. Her husband of 69 years passed away in February. She wants to remain in her home and that's also what we want for her. She has had 24/7 care through an agency since her husband's passing. My loved one does not have any children and three of the four of us that are helping her stay in her home live out of state. My mother is the only family that lives in the same state. Because of there not being much family around and because we truly care that our loved one is okay, my family placed Blink cameras in the house (well before caregivers came into the picture) so that we could monitor things and would know if an emergency came up. The caregiving agency was told about the cameras when they were brought on board and the cameras are in no way hidden. They are out in the open and can be seen.
The caregivers have a big problem with the cameras and go so far as to move the cameras, turn them upside down, and hide them. It has gotten so bad that a caregiver just sat in front of one of the cameras and started cursing at my family and is now walking around the house with no shirt on.
Is it uncommon for people to have cameras when there are strangers in a home with their loved one 24/7?
When I’m visiting their three bed, two bath small condo, that the three oldest daughters and our families relocated them to, after 43 in their big split level, that they stopped taking care of responsibly, and mom could barely get up the stairs, I felt pretty sure cameras were installed and whenever I am in their home, I’m not left alone with my parents. Our sister guards her mommy and daddy from the oldest two daughters, me and two year younger sis, cause we are as different from her as it gets, raised by parents that did not let us do whatever we wanted, there is a 14 year difference, between me and my youngest fulltime caregiving sister. She is in the job cause she never left home, and she knows to let mom and dad do as they please, the same way they expected nothing of their youngest daughter. Us older kids did not get this extraordinary privilege and we have always been dutiful to our parents. But the oldest three began our own lives, had our own family.
If caregivers paid to take care of family members are upset to have cameras on them at all times, try being a daughter who has a sister that feels she must protect her parents from, for no damn reason. I always behave appropriately, could care less if she is recording me, and a mentally ill note, from our youngest sister, let us know she is saving every word on the fourway sister thread. When I expressed a frustration that she shared no actual medical information, she blasted me with 30 screenshots, taken of conversation from the fourway sister text chain, she considers evidence she does give us info. I could have used those same screenshots to prove my case to be true. It is maddening, the crap she writes to us as tho we know nothing about memory loss disease, medical issues, and her condescending, patronizing behavior, makes it tough to hang in there for our parents, cause they created this monster.
I appreciate this forum cause you folks helped me realize it is their problem and I am not obligated, should have no fear of guilt cause my parents aged badly, no responsibility for their own health. They have all the health problems that lead to dementia, and their two oldest daughters are doing everything to break the generational curses, in our dysfunctional family.
I will never do to my son and daughter what my parents did to our younger sister, and she sadly owes them, cause she never left them. Her enabling turned them into people that left us much earlier than necessary. Our parents did not become the partners they needed to be, to take care of themselves, like their older children are doing now, in our 60’s.
I will never cause a fight or try to take over my mom and dad. I will visit often enough to ensure they are safe, and until they ask for help, our youngest sister will bear all the burden for the choices she alone made. I am certain I will have zero relationship with her after our parents die, as well as the third down narcissistic horrible sister. Us two older gals will look out for each other and our husbands, encourage each other to keep moving, and none of us are taking the medicine the other four family members do, cause they depend on pills to keep them alive. Vitamins are what us four oldest, next generation family members take. We benefitted from knowing some health things truly matter, and moving is one of them. Mom stopped moving way young and now dad had to sit next to her every minute, cause she is afraid of life. Memory loss disease is hell on earth, but much can be avoided, if one just doesn’t sit 24/7. Cameras don’t bother me. Film away. ♥️
If the agency agreed that they are fine with their caregivers being on camera then there should not have been a problem.
Were the caregivers told they were going to be on camera? That would have been the responsibility of the agency who employs them to let them know.
When there are cameras set up this usually means that the client doesn't have people (family, friends, advocates) regularly checking up on them and they should. When there aren't outside people checking up on a person what usually ends up happening is WAY too much responsibility gets put on the aide and the agency she works for.
I operate a homecare business. When I go out to open a new case I always ask if there are cameras. I always ask how often family (or any outside people) stop by to check up on the potential new client. If the answer is the elder is alone, no one is nearby to regularly check up on them, and the cameras are permanent, I will tell them that we cannot meet their care needs in most cases.
I know what ends up happening in situations like this because I've had it happen to me a few times.
Also, you may not know this but hidden cameras are illegal in some states. They have to be police-sanctioned because there is probable cause to put them in.
Do your homework and investigate the caregivers coming into the home on your own. Don't leave this one-hundred percent up to the care agency. Most agencies will hire anyone because their bosses don't do their jobs.
I do, but then I demand perfection from my caregivers because they get paid way better than any I know of.
Personally, I have a problem with cameras now and when I still worked in the field. The aides should not be touching your property and moving them though. The agency who sends them to your loved one should be having a talk with you. I certainly would.
PS
You do need to get rid of the Cg that are cussing and naked on the camera.
But I did tape down the cameras and if they are installed in the ceiling (Blink and others have mounts) they cannot cover them and they also may seem a bit less obtrusive. So you have to try to reconfigure them so they can be higher up and less obvious.
Regardless no one should move your personal property etc. ...but with 24/7 care you will not always get the top picks of caregivers. (clearly! Yike on the one without the shirt, she should be arrested not fired).
As long as the caregivers are told and aware before they come it is okay--there are however times caregivers from an agency take on the job last minute and may not be okay with it. However, they indeed should be fired if they meddle with the equipment. They can choose to not take the job. Not even sure personally how I would feel. But then don't take the job.
I did explain to the caregivers when I could that the purpose is not to monitor them but monitor my mom when she was away. And personally, I found it distasteful to look in when they were working--it felt like spying. Also--with 24/7 care, I don't want to begrudge someone downtime, so I really just used it for when the caregivers were not there. But my mother could speak up for herself and would tell me if something was wrong.
I would never do it any other way--the anxiety of not knowing how she was walking, etc was too great and too hard to monitor without a camera. We could only afford 2-4 hours of care a day (which actually was sufficient since the cameras allowed us to monitor her otherwise). I would do it with a child too. I was a nanny for years and always acted as if there was a camera there, and based on things I saw, anyone with a child would be insane to not have a camera in their home. It can be unpleasant but in all professions now workers are monitored. Such is the case here as well. But again--I tried to emphasize this was not out of distrust for the worker but care for my mom. You are doing the right thing.
That’s exactly what I had. Three cameras out in the open - one in the bedroom, one in the kitchen and one in the living room and if they messed with the cameras I fired them.
There are evil caregivers out there who will steal everything of value or sentimental value to you. You absolutely have to have them and if you actually catch them in the act you should file a police report. Make that very clear to them they’re not allowed to touch them or they will be fired. Good luck
It was a tough situation. Aunt had welcomed them with open arms. They were completely tone deaf on the impropriety of their actions or the degree of her impairment. Of course, aunt loved it and her aide was a good sport.
The cameras were also useful for when she accidentally pressed the button on her Medialert. I could quickly check in and see that all was well. I could also see how she declined over the years and it was helpful in increasing hours and layers of help.
I think your current caregiver is a little too much “at home” and wants to forget she is there to work. She seems to have some mental impairment of her own walking around w/o a shirt. Her discussing the cameras with your loved one and making her feel anything but cared for is cruel. What more do you need to know about this person?
I understand how difficult it is to be a long distance caregiver and we always want the best care possible. It may take a few caregivers until you find the right one. It took us a few times before we found the right person. I felt held hostage by one because she knew I really needed her. I put up with a bit too much until I decided I would replace her even if I had to stay with aunt until I found the right person.
I was only two hours away, visited weekly but I still needed the cameras and every other layer of care I could justify. She had a home health nurse, CNA and physical therapy. The CNA let me know when aunt wasn’t getting the care she should have from one of the early on aids. I would never have noticed this from the camera alone.
If your LO has traditional Medicare she would qualify for a home health evaluation for a needs analysis. She may qualify for this care.
Wishing you luck with finding the best care possible for your LO.
It is not uncommon and if you check your state laws it is legal. I had one caregiver do just the same thing, turn the camera around, changing the direction and such. Others have no problem.
It might be a superstitious thing for them or different beliefs, not certain. That person did not last long. In caregiving not everyone is the same, my mother was being verbally abused and roughly handled at times. This is the reason for the camera, although not able to capture every room it is important to have visibility to ensure your loved one is safe.
Everyone that came in knew they were on camera and so did my BIL. He had nurses come in and nursing staff that took care of him. Also he had a worker from Dept of Human Services come in twice they didn't say anything about them. They all thought it was a good idea for his sake.
The only place where we didn't have a camera was outside his apartment which would have been a good thing because he fell and laid on the ground for 30 minutes after that he went to a nursing home with memory care.
I would get another agency to come in and help and I would disclose the cameras and tell them they will be there because you all can't be there all the time.
Prayers
Llike someone said..keep the cameras replace the problem aides. FYI, sometimes they would hold up things for me to see..like a piece of clothing for my opinion on what to wear..even though it never mattered. Also allowed me to see/hear her doctor when she made a house call or the physical therapist if I could not be there or anyone else for that matter. Many good uses for cameras.
They likely have staffing issues and perhaps do not have enough staff to put someone else in place of the one who is so clearly a problem.
Good luck.
A friend had them in the bedroom but placed them under the bed for the audio and still be able to monitor the movement on the floor in case the mother fell. I've considered having one on the floor in the walk-in closet in his bathroom for the same reason. I too want my privacy so I would be sure they do not compromise mine either, because I also want the security that cameras give even beyond the caregivers.
I have been checking into them to have them in place like you did well before we need 24/7 care so as not to appear targeting any one person. I have already mentioned the possibility to the two caregivers we have in place and they did not seem to have an issue. I applaud you and feel you don't have any other choice especially if your loved one has no family available to be there with them.
I would not trust any agency that would not automatically fire caregivers with that kind of behavior... especially when you have the video to back your claim. It comes down to elder abuse and I would think it would be easy to find an elder abuse attorney to discuss the seriousness of it... especially if the agency is tolerating it. You are paying more by using an agency to help protect your loved one. Purposely making an elder feel paranoid in their own home is elder abuse in my opinion. I am not one quick to file a lawsuit, but at the least I feel the agency should refund the payments for those days if the behavior is documented and they make no effort to replace with a higher level of caregiver. It is hard enough to deal with caregivers when you are local using them part-time so I applaud you doing everything to keep your loved one safe in their own home.
I often wonder why some folks still commit crimes in public places knowing the cameras are there. If someone would behave this way in a private home knowing there are cameras, I would be very concerned about their character and if they are using drugs.
I used cameras for my parents and now a remaining aunt for safety reasons.
If the agency was aware of the cameras before there should be no issue now.