So how can you tell if your elder family member is being abused? What can you do to help? What resources are out there? And if you’re pondering whether or not you need to buy a hidden camera to protect a loved one consider the following.

According to the American Psychological Association more than two million older Americans are victims of elder abuse every year. Research suggests that elder abuse is significantly under reported and under identified. In fact, as few as 1 in 6 cases of elder abuse come to the attention of authorities, according to the National Center on Elder Abuse.

Elder Abuse is defined as intentional or negligent acts by a caregiver or trusted individual that causes, or can cause, harm to a vulnerable elder. Sharon Merriman-Nai, the co-manager of the National Center on Elder Abuse has stated that “Unfortunately from what statistical information we do have, most victimized people are abused by people they know and trust”. Elder abuse can come in many forms; it’s not just physical abuse, neglect, abandonment, psychological or emotional abuse, financial abuse and exploitation and even sexual abuse fall under the definition.

Many victims are reluctant to report abuse and the greatest difficulty is overcoming their resistance and fear of identifying the problem, so it’s very important that you watch for signs of elder abuse. Often the best help that you can give is to ask questions, of your elder family member, their caregivers and even yourself.

A change in general behavior is a universal warning sign, if you notice that your elder loved one becomes withdrawn or now gets upset or agitated easily, it might very well indicate that it’s time to start asking questions. And one important thing to remember is that if your loved one says something happened, take them seriously, Ms. Merriman-Nai also said “Sometimes, when older people suffer from dementia or some sort of cognitive problem, they may not be believed”.

If you notice any untreated injuries, or an injury that seems inconsistent with the explanation given for its cause, it may be a sign of physical abuse. Also try to determine if your older family member is afraid of anyone, whether at home or in a facility, or whether they have actually been hit or slapped.

Greed is a contributing factor in many cases of financial abuse; the elderly may be susceptible to exploitation. Be observant, look for signs of missing personal belongings or credit cards, unusual bank account activity or checks made out to cash. Has your loved one redrawn their will at a time when they seemed unable to write one?

Emotional abuse can range from name calling to intimidation and threats. Ask them what happens when he or she and the caregiver have a disagreement. Are they being treated like a child, humiliated or threatened with punishment? Reluctance to talk about their relationship with a staff member, or demonstrating fear, anxiety or withdrawal when asked may be signs of emotional abuse.

In regards to the Pennsylvania caught on hidden camera incident, Delaware County District Attorney Michael Green said “The video depicts criminal activity directed at a senior victim in our county, it’s abusive and it’s the humiliation which is most difficult to watch on the video. No senior resident of a facility should be subjected to that kind of behavior, particularly from a health care provider”.

There are many styles of hidden cameras available that can be discretely placed to blend in with the normal decor of a room, but be aware that although a hidden camera is a great tool for discovering the truth about the alleged abuse, it’s not the only solution. With or without video evidence, if you have any reason to believe that an elder loved one is being abused or neglected, there are other resources to help. You can visit the National Center on Elder Abuse website www.ncea.aoa.gov for more ways to help your loved ones.

And if you believe that an elder is in a life threatening situation, call 911 or contact your local police department immediately.

A long time ago I was a salesman in a camera and electronics store in NYC. To let you know how long ago, cameras still needed film and a cell phone required a briefcase full of equipment to work. At the time video surveillance cameras were only for buildings, stores and a few others that could really afford the security.

VCRs were just becoming popular; they were in huge cabinets and had tuner dials on them, like the old TVs. After a while the cabinets started getting smaller and electronic tuners were introduced. Then they got even smaller and one day an exciting new item came into the store, a portable video camera and recorder. The portable video camera weighed about 5 lbs and the portable video recorder weighed about 8 lbs.

Still, at this time, a hidden camera was something that was only seen in spy movies. But technology marches on and shortly after home video recording was improved with the introduction of an all in one video camera and recorder. But it still had to be big enough to hold the huge VHS cassette. It was shortly after home computers and Atari video games hit the market that I left to find greener pastures.

I’ve been doing my own thing for a long time now but because of this job I always held an interest in these technologies and products. A few years ago I started distributing surveillance systems and hidden cameras. When I first started to become familiar with the new hidden camera products I was amazed all over again. I expected to see the nanny cams, like the alarm clock hidden camera but I was surprised when I came upon the really small ones, the hidden camera in a pen and the hidden camera in a watch, with internal digital video recorders no less. Recorders that could hold as much as the larger of the VHS cassettes.

I then realized that I really wasn’t up on the latest technology in surveillance. James Bond’s spy watch was now real and apparently had been for a little while already. I’m now wondering what technology will make smaller next.

Most of these hidden cameras are very easy to set up and use, with the hidden cameras with a built in DVR it’s almost as simple as hitting the button on the remote. The other hidden cameras need to be hooked up to a recording device of some kind but you can get wireless hidden cameras so they are really easy to install. Being that it’s really simple to do, there’s no reason to not make a small investment to know whether or not your kids are safe from abuse.

I know some of my readers may still feel that using hidden cameras is wrong because it’s spying, it’s an objectionable tactic, but I consider it at worst a necessary evil.  I once felt that it was wrong, but you will be amazed at what goes on in your absence and truly, how else are you really going to know! Hidden cameras a blessing in disguise, yes!

Use a RF detector to find hidden cameras and microphones that are transmitting a signal. If there might be a hidden camera that isn’t transmitting a signal then you have to use the hidden camera detector to visually locate it.

This age of “small” technology, has brought us new methods of surveillance, it has also brought us new counter surveillance devices, giving us the ability to find out if someone is using this technology against us. If you think someone might be watching you or you’re having a conversation that you absolutely don’t want anyone else to hear, what you need is Counter Surveillance.

You know what they say, build a better mouse and we’ll build a better mouse trap. But as great as these better mousetraps, or rat traps are, they are hardly worth their transistors, unless they are used properly. These covert surveillance devices that you need to find are so small that they can be hidden almost anywhere and in almost anything. So it stands to reason that you will need to look everywhere and at everything. To really get the best results from your rf bug detector you will need to slowly move it around the area under suspicion. These counter surveillance devices need to be close to the bug in order to detect it, so don’t breeze around the room so quickly that you might miss something. Take your time and make sure you cover every square foot, don’t waste your time and money and worst of all, risk your privacy. It’s very important to scan everywhere, under tables, behind pictures and anywhere else you could imagine a camera or mic could be hidden. Remember these bugs are so small now they can be hidden in places you may never expect.

An alarm clock, a desk lamp or even a sprinkler head, to name just a few, could contain a bug. If your privacy is important to you and you think a hidden camera might be watching you, or someone might be listening in, make sure you get something effective for counter surveillance. These bug detectors are so small now you could carry one in your pocket.

But there are a lot of new thoughts on the subject. People are realizing more and more that not only do businesses need Surveillance Systems, they themselves need Home Surveillance. Nanny Cams are considered by some people to be as necessary as a crib. A lot of cheating spouses have been caught by hidden cameras. The list goes on. It’s a whole new world of video surveillance and there are a lot of good uses for it. Maybe there will always be a “perv” who hides a camera where he shouldn’t, but keep in mind, he’s going to get caught by a hidden camera too.

We now have all different types of surveillance equipment available, IP Cameras that connect right to your computer, hidden cameras that have built in DVRs, wireless surveillance cameras of all types and even clever little spy cameras like pen cameras and wristwatch cameras. If your afraid of someone watching you, well, now you can own a bug detector to find those sneaky little cameras and microphones.

Some people need stronger self defense products, but thats the subject of another blog.

Thanks, Phil, Lifeline Products.

     Nanny cams are most commonly thought of as the best use of a hidden camera and that’s hard to argue with, protecting our children is a very important matter. But stores that don’t want their customers to feel nervous appreciate having a mini camera inside an exit sign or maybe a clock with a hidden camera or one of several choices of commonly seen things with, what used to be called, a spy camera already installed. Some of us, even though we hate to think it, are concerned about who we can and can’t trust, in our households as well as our businesses. The dishonest ones will find a place where their mischief can’t be seen, if they know your watching. This is where a working radio with hidden camera would come in handy. 

     Technology keeps making these things better and better, wireless video from wireless cameras is now becoming very popular because there’s no hassle with running wires through walls etc. Surveillance cameras keep getting smaller and smaller too, speaking of spy cameras, you can own a pen spy camera or a watch spy camera with a built in miniature DVR that connects to any computer’s USB port for veiwing and saving as easily as any common flash drive. If you have the do it yourself mindset you can get board cameras, these are the world’s smallest digital video surveillance cameras and the circuit board needed to be operational. Simply put, they’re hidden cameras that you hide yourself. The options are becomming limitless.

Phil, lifelinesurveillance.com