By james art 
Tallahassee, FLA. – Against the background of debate on issues such as confidentiality and protection of vulnerable elderly, the house panel on Thursday approves a proposal that will require homes for the elderly and facilities to assist living housing to allow camcorders and other electronic monitoring devices In the residents’ rooms.
Some nursing homes and life support facilities already allow family members and other residents to install what is often known as “grandma cameras” in the rooms.
But the supporters said the bill (HB 223), sponsored by reporter Susan Plasecia, R-Korlando, would help protect the elderly, including people with conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease.
“This is a bill that protects the most vulnerable, some of the most vulnerable in our society,” said reporter Chase Tramont, R-Port Orange, in front of the House Horseshome and House healthcare systems approved the measure.
However, the bill has attracted opposition to groups made up of homes for the elderly and life support facilities. Jen Lawrence, who represented the Florida Health Association, an industrial group for nurses, said residents were making personal conversations in their rooms and received assistance in problems such as changing clothes and care for incontinence.
“This is dignity and privacy,” Lawrence, Chief Health, said, to legislators. “These are patients’ bedrooms.”
The bill will require you to authorize camcorders or audio recording devices in rooms, but includes warnings. For example, legislators have raised a series of questions on Thursday about situations where residents of nurses share premises.
According to the bill, if a resident wants to install a monitoring device, the roommate of the resident or a roommate representative will have to agree and will be able to cancel the consent. Also, the roommate will be able to set conditions on the use of the devices.
In order to try to strengthen privacy, the bill will limit people who can watch or listen to video or audio from rooms. These people would be the inhabitants; their representatives, such as guardians or surrogates for health care; law enforcement officers; and other people authorized by residents or their representatives.
The bill will be the provision of video or audio available on the Internet.
An analysis of the house staff said 19 states have laws allowing the use of electronic monitoring devices in nursing rooms, and 17 have such laws for life support facilities. Proponents said on Thursday, devices could help protect residents from abuse and other harm.
“If you look at the news lately, you will see and find where many problems happen that people catch on cameras that would not otherwise. And there are horrifying scenes that happen to people who are adults who cannot take care of themselves and who, even if they can say what happened, people would not believe because they may have dementia or Alzheimer’s , something that would cause someone not to believe what they say, “Plasecia said. “So, it’s important for me to talk about them.”
Bijou IKLI, CEO of the Florida Vital Association Association Association, said many members of its group already have policies to authorize monitoring devices. But other facilities do not allow the devices due to concerns about questions, such as who will receive video footage and what will be done with it.
“We believe that resolving these devices should depend on the life support facility,” Iceli said. “Let the market decide. Potential residents must be informed of the position of the facilities to support the home monitoring devices so that they can decide which facility best meets their needs. And if they want to live in Alf that allows cameras in residences, they can choose to do so. And if that is not a problem for them, they can also choose to be in a facility that does not allow cameras. “
The bill is filed for the legislative session, which will begin on March 4. Senator Ileana Garcia, R-Mayami, has filed the version of the Senate Bill (SB 64).