Outdated Laws Allow Social Media Abuse In Nursing Homes To Run Rampant
Many state law regulating abuse against adults were updated before social media apps became the norm. Now, lawmakers are a step behind as the number of cases in which a nursing home resident is exploited online grows. Meanwhile, in Florida, the state has ordered an emergency shutdown of an assisted living facility for turning a "blind eye to the health" of its residents.
ProPublica:
As Cases Multiply, Officials Scramble To Stop Abuse Of Nursing Home Residents On Social Media
When a certified nursing assistant in Hubbard, Iowa, shared a photo online in March of a nursing home resident with his pants around his ankles, his legs and hand covered in feces, the most surprising aspect of state health officials' investigation was this: It wasn't against the law. The Iowa law designed to protect dependent adults from abuse was last updated in 2008, before many social media apps existed. ... The Iowa incident is just one illustration of how regulators and law enforcement officials nationwide are struggling to respond when employees at long-term care facilities violate the privacy of residents by posting photos on social media websites. (Ornstein and Huseman, 7/14)
Health News Florida:
State Shuts Down Valusia Assisted Living Facility For Turning ‘Blind Eye’ To Victims
The state of Florida has issued an emergency order to shut down Grace Manor Assisted Living and Memory Care in Port Orange... The Florida Agency for Health Care Administration wrote in an emergency order, available here, that the facility and its administrator turned a “blind eye to the health and well being of those residents known to have been victimized.” (Aboraya, 7/14)