The title sounds almost harmless: "More Can Be Done to Protect Residents from Abuse." But this new report from the U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO) reveals unimagined horrors in our nation's nursing homes.

The federal government released its report this month after studying a nationwide rise in reports of abuse. And while the report's title sounds harmless, the report itself reveals a culture of secrecy behind the closed doors of long-term care in America.

Even in the face of this chilling report, nursing home industry representatives in Tallahassee this legislative session are still opposing the concept of giving residents one simple means of protecting themselves: in-room security cameras.

The Coalition to Protect America's Elders supports a simple change to Florida law that would allow residents the option of installing surveillance cameras in their rooms, yet lawmakers are balking at a change that could go far to help Florida nursing home residents protect themselves.

In restating a prior finding that 30 percent of homes nationwide were cited for abusing residents, the GAO now concludes that even this unacceptably high figure is "most likely understated." The report suggests that nursing home operators and their employees are engaging in what can only be described as a conspiracy to hide incidents of abuse from families as well as law enforcement agencies.

Unbelievable? Consider these excerpts:

• "Law enforcement officials ... are seldom summoned to ... investigate allegations of physical or sexual abuse."

• "Fifty percent of the notifications from nursing homes were submitted two or more days after the home learned of the alleged abuse."

• When crimes were reported, researchers believe that in most instances "evidence had been compromised."

U.S. Sen. John Breaux of Louisiana called the findings "shocking, gruesome and devastating."

"It is clear that nursing home crimes are not reported or punished with the same severity as crimes outside those nursing home walls," Breaux said.

The reason these crimes are not being pursued by law enforcement agencies is that they are not reported in a timely manner (if at all), or evidence is being tampered with before authorities are notified.

The legislation allowing nursing home residents the right to install video cameras in their rooms would not make such equipment mandatory, nor would homes be required to pay for them. They would be monitored and maintained by residents and their families. A notice on the door would alert employees and others that a security camera is monitoring the room.

When crimes like those described in the GAO report occur, law enforcement agencies would be armed with the evidence they might need to prosecute the offenders. In fact, Florida's top law enforcement officer, Attorney General Bob Butterworth, recently issued a report stating that "the likely deterrent effect on resident abuse and neglect ... suggests that the voluntary use of cameras in ... resident rooms would work well in Florida."

Elderly and disabled citizens are being denied even this modest measure to protect themselves against abuse. The GAO is right - more can be done to protect residents. Allowing them to use security cameras is a small step in the right direction."

Barbara Hengstebeck acts as President of the Coalition to Protect America's Elders. For more information please go to www.protectelders.org

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