Physical, mental, sexual and emotional abuse towards the elderly and the disabled in nursing homes and assisted-living facilities across the nation are a daily occurance.

Back-ground checks on employees are supposed to be conducted.  But, not necessarily adhered to as a practice.

From the kitchen staff to the managing staff, there should never be a void in running a verifiable check before hiring someone.

The only problem with verification is that history of work experience is difficult to find or to believe.

A director of a assisted-living facility w/alzheimer's care was in place as the "judge and jury" in care of the patients in Ruskin, Florida. Her past record of a felony in taking a house and a car from a patient was held in a sealed record.  No one would ever know, upon hiring her about her past.

She worked the job, until she was finally fired.  During her time away from the facility, she got another charge for food stamp fraud.  Yet, she was rehired with the full knowledge of the corporation.

She hired her pals to work in the ALF and take care of the patients.  There were thefts of patient's goods. There was filth in the kitchen.  Some staff could not speak English around the elders.

There were violations of HIPPA laws.  There were no background checks on her pals.  Who was going to protect the residents from the staff?

If cameras had been placed in those hallways and rooms, the police officer would have seen "who" slapped the old lady on the hand leaving it black and blue.

If cameras were in the dining room, the vision of seeing the elders NOT eat the slop placed in front of them would have been a visual.

If there had been a camera in the great room, where the dementia patients lingered in boredom, someone might have seen one old lady hit another one.

But, the cameras have to be monitored in a guarded and protected way.  Who will watch the chicken coop, if the farmer is a dangerous sort?