Cameras again? Yep, they’re back in the spotlight—and this time, the focus is squarely on in-room nursing home cameras. From Maryland to Ohio to Pennsylvania, lawmakers are grappling with how to balance privacy, protection, and provider responsibilities.

In Maryland, a 75-year-old resident living with dementia was abused by a geriatric nursing assistant in May 2022. In Ohio, Esther’s Law was passed that same year after a son installed a surveillance camera in his mother’s room, catching staff abuse. The Ohio legislation opened the door to a wave of similar proposals. This year, Pennsylvania followed suit by introducing a bill that would allow families to install cameras in residents’ rooms “to provide another tool for families of residents to monitor the care their loved ones receive.” You can read the House Co-Sponsorship Memo for more details on the proposed bill during the 2025–2026 session of the PA House of Representatives.

Whew—there’s certainly no shortage of conversation about surveillance! But while Pennsylvania pushes forward, Maryland recently rejected a bill that would have required skilled nursing providers to install and maintain cameras in common areas. That effort caught national attention for going beyond the usual family-installed in-room devices. As discussed in McKnight’s article on recent laws targeting in-room nursing home cameras and another piece detailing the failed Maryland bill, these proposals are being watched closely by providers everywhere.

Still, as Clara Berridge, a gerontologist at the University of Washington, points out in her research, “I think of cameras as a symptom, not a solution.” She warns that cameras can be a distraction from the deeper issues of ensuring high-quality long-term care. At the end of the day, surveillance is no substitute for prevention. Creating an environment free from abuse and neglect starts with meaningful staff training, background checks, and support to reduce burnout and fatigue.

So what can you do? Start by sitting down with your QAPI committee. Take a close look at your incident reports and grievance logs, then tailor your abuse prevention training to address the trends you’re seeing. If your community does use cameras, ensure you have a clear policy—and that it’s being followed. Need guidance? HealthCap offers a sample policy on facility common area video surveillance to help you get started.

Stay well and stay informed!