By Bristow Marchant
Darrell Hudson knows what it’s like when a loved one gets hurt after
moving into a retirement community. Now he’s hoping Lexington County
Council can do something about it.
The county councilman’s
mother was injured after a fall outside a Lexington assisted living
facility, and his family initially couldn’t find her when they realized
no one at the facility knew where she was.
Hudson is sponsoring
a requirement that all nursing homes and assisted living facilities in
the county place cameras at every entrance and exit to ensure Lexington
County’s senior citizens will be better protected.
Having family in assisted living was “like falling off a bicycle,” said Hudson. “You learn real quick.”
Last
year, Hudson’s daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren went to visit his
mother in her assisted living facility shortly before Christmas, but
didn’t find her in her room, and no one at the facility could tell them
where she was.
The family eventually found her outside, where
she had fallen and struck her head, resulting in injuries she’s still
dealing with, and requiring her to move up to a more serious level of
long-term care.
Hudson’s mother apparently exited through a door near her room, which
Hudson says should have triggered an internal alarm but apparently did
not. A report on the incident by the S.C. Department of Health and
Environmental Control found that the alarm system was operational on the
door, but that no one responded to it at the time.
“Nobody was
even looking for her until my daughter got there,” Hudson said. “I
said, ‘Look at the cameras,’ and they said the law doesn’t require them
to have cameras. I thought, ‘you’ve got to be (kidding) me.’”
Now
the Lexington County councilman wants a countywide ordinance requiring
cameras in long-term care facilities that he says will protect against
the neglect and abuse of vulnerable senior citizens.
Hudson
said the most a county ordinance would be able to do is set up cameras
on the exterior of buildings at retirement homes, but he’s spoken to
state Sen. Katrina Shealy about crafting a state law requiring cameras
in some parts of the interior of buildings as well.
“I think
it’s a good idea,” Shealy said. “I told him I’d see what he did at the
county, and then I can pre-file something in December (ahead of next
year’s legislative session).”
Randy Lee, president of the S.C. Health Care Association, which
represents long-term nursing care outlets in state, said Wednesday he
was unsure if a county government in South Carolina can set requirements
for nursing homes.
“They’re regulated by federal and state
governments,” Lee said. “They have licensing requirements and set all
kinds of things they have to have, but I’ve never heard of a local
government doing a separate ordinance.”
Lee said he hasn’t
heard from members of his organization about the proposal, but notes
that for-profit nursing homes in particular “have good attorneys.”
At
a meeting Tuesday, Lexington County Council reviewed the proposed
county rule as well as a resolution requesting action by the county’s
legislative delegation. Hudson said he would research compliance
requirements — whether the new rule would apply to existing senior
homes, and when they might be required to comply with the ordinance.
Privacy concerns would still limit where cameras could be placed, but
cameras could be installed in hallways and common areas as well, Shealy
said.
This isn’t the first time legislation has been aimed at requiring cameras be placed in and around senior homes.
“I
know (former) Sen. (Paul) Thurmond proposed something four years ago,
but I don’t know if it got held up at the end of the year as sometimes
happens at the State House or what,” Shealy said.
Hudson said
he doesn’t believe privacy concerns are sufficient to oppose more
surveillance of communal spaces inside nursing homes.
“They say
it’s a HIPAA violation,” Hudson said, referencing a federal law that
protects against disclosure of private medical information by health
care providers. “Well, kiss my grits. It’s not a privacy issue if it’s
in a hallway, or an eating area or at the entrance and exits.”
He also says the cost of a camera system is not an argument against the proposal.
“You
can get a Ring (home security camera) for $100 a month, and it will
record every dog, cat or mailman that comes near your house,” he said.
“Even if there is an expense, how do you put a dollar value on what your
parent is worth?”
The S.C. Assisted Living Association did not respond to a request for comment for this story.
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Put cameras in nursing homes, Lexington Co. councilman says after his mom was injured
Put Cameras in Rooms! Then there are no privacy or HIPAA issues. Go to our website and see the information that this is not an issue, they try to make it an issue. www.elderlyadvocates.org There certainly should be more involved at the city level. They are the ones that transport all the residents to the hospital that have received poor care or neglect.
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