Iowa Nursing Home Case Raises Questions about Social Media Abuse

According to an NPR article titled, “Social Media Abuse of Nursing Home Residents Often Goes Unchecked” a very disturbing incident involving social media abuse occurred at a nursing in Hubbard, Iowa. The article states that a certified nursing assistant sent a Snapchat photo of a resident covered in feces to six of her coworkers. After being fired from the facility, she faced no charges because it technically wasn’t against the law.

In Iowa, the law that protects dependent adults includes no mention of social media apps due to the fact that it was last updated in 2008. Because the photo the CNA took did not show the resident’s genitals, the CNA did not violate the law by committing sexual exploitation of a dependent.

This story raises concerns for other states and their handling of senior abuse. In Florida, and in most states, there is no mention of social media apps. Although there is a clause that includes exploitation by photography, it only qualifies if the genitals or other private areas are shown.

To find a solution to this problem, try contacting your representatives in order to create legislation that properly addresses this issue.