You chose a care residence believing your loved one would live with dignity – not become content for someone’s viral clip on TikTok. Yet a recent national review shows a startling reality: direct-care staff in nursing homes are posting videos of residents being humiliated. According to gerontologist Eilon Caspi, “Many social-media abuse incidents in nursing homes remain unreported … the reality is that it’s not being tracked.”
So, what can you do to ensure your loved one is not being humiliated via social media posts and videos?
Watch for Red Flags
Phone Use During Care
If staff routinely carry their personal phones or tablets while assisting residents (especially those with dementia), that may be a red flag. The referenced study found more than 200 publicly shared posts tied to state investigations over the past decade.
Residents Showing Distress or Withdrawal
If your loved one suddenly becomes quiet, embarrassed, or less engaged when you visit, ask questions. These behaviors can reflect shame or confusion from being filmed or mocked.
Over-Stretched Staff, High Injury/Illness Rates
An additional study found that assisted-living and continuing-care retirement communities (CCRCs) in the U.S. have above-average injury/illness rates – a warning sign that staff may be distracted, fatigued or inadequately supervised. Excess demands on staff open the door to unsafe care and degraded resident dignity.
Prepare as a Family Advocate
Take a Baseline of Your Loved One’s Status
Before admission or during early days, take note (or photograph with consent) their mood, grooming, interaction style, and comfort level.
Create a Visiting/Communication Routine
Frequent, brief check-ins build your “normal” picture. Staff who know you are engaged become less able to hide misconduct.
Ask About Staff-Phone Policies and Social Media Rules
Does the facility train staff about resident dignity, consent, and camera/phone usage in care areas? What are the penalties for misuse? Caspi notes that many victims had cognitive impairment, making valid consent difficult.
Have a “Vigilance Checklist”
Include items such as: staff using phones in resident rooms; residents smiling too broadly or oddly on video; unexplained mood changes and the presence of extra bruises or skin breakdown.
Expect Transparency
Ask to see the facility’s policy on photography/recordings of residents. Federal guidelines in the U.S. require nursing homes to prohibit recordings that demean or humiliate residents.
Respond Decisively
Document Immediately
If you find a post or suspect misconduct, take screenshots, note device/staff names if visible, times, and content.
File a Formal Complaint
Start with the facility administrator. If unresolved, escalate to your state’s long-term-care ombudsman; adult protective services; and respective organizations in your country.
Invoke Resident Rights
In many jurisdictions, residents (or their representatives) have the right to access footage, ask for its removal, and change of staffing or phone-use policies.
Tie the Behavior to Broader Cultural Issues
Overrated workloads, overtime, agency staff and understaffing correlate with compromised care. The facility with above-average injury/illness rates may hint at systemic fatigue and distraction.
Push for Policy Change
Encourage the facility to restrict personal devices during care hours, train staff on digital abuse, and monitor social media postings tied to the facility.
Recognize This Is Not Just a U.S. Issue
Globally, the World Health Organization estimates that two-thirds of staff in long-term-care institutions report having committed some form of abuse in the past year. A 2016 review of elder-mistreatment research in 28 countries found that emotional abuse ranged from ~28% to ~62% of older adults.
Whether you live in the U.S., Canada, UK, Australia or another nation, the risk is systemic: overburdened staff, inadequate oversight, the allure of social media virality, and vulnerable residents unable to give informed consent.
The Broader Narrative: Distracted Staff Equals Unsafe Residents
When staff are juggling overtime, shortages, agency hires, personal device use, and the lure of a social media post, the quality of care inevitably suffers. The above-average injury/illness statistics for assisted-living and CCRC settings confirm a systemic vulnerability: the more distracted and understaffed, the greater the risk for not just indignity but physical harm. Your advocacy for your loved one must treat dignity and safety as inseparable.
In an age of likes, shares and viral clips, older adults in residential care deserve far more than a cameo in someone else’s feed – they deserve respect, safety and protection. As a family member or caregiver, you are the first line of defense. Stay vigilant, prepare relentlessly, and act decisively.
Let’s Have a Conversation:
Have you witnessed or experienced any form of elder abuse in a care facility? What steps did you take to raise awareness of the situation?
