Fact-Checked: Why Trust Rittgers Rittgers & Nakajima Every family that moves a parent into a nursing home lives with the same worry: what happens when we’re not there? In Ohio, you have a legal way to find out.
Ohio’s “Esther’s Law,” Ohio Revised Code 3721.60–3721.68, took effect on March 23, 2022. It is named for Esther Piskor, a woman in her 70s with dementia who was abused and neglected at a Cleveland-area nursing home while her family was away. Esther’s son suspected that his mother was being abused at the hands of the nursing home employees and placed a hidden camera in his mother’s room to confirm his suspicions. The camera in Esther’s room captured six weeks of abuse on camera. After discovering the abuse, her son spent more than a decade fighting for the law to be enacted in an attempt to ensure that elder abuse is driven out of Ohio nursing homes.
Why this Matters More in 2026
On February 2, 2026, federal minimum staffing rules were eliminated, removing the requirement for 3.48 daily care hours per resident and 24/7 registered nurses. Facilities now only need an RN on-site for eight consecutive hours daily. Requiring an RN for only 8 hours a week leaves a 16-hour daily gap without an RN on-site. While federal law still requires homes to staff based on resident needs assessments, there is no longer a hard metric to enforce, making cameras vital for monitoring unstaffed hours.
Under Ohio’s Esther’s Law, a resident, their guardian, or their healthcare POA can install a fixed-position video or audio camera in a nursing home room, provided they complete any required facility paperwork and pay for the device’s costs (excluding electricity). Roommates must consent to the device or request a room transfer, and the facility may post a notice at the door but cannot retaliate or deny admission based on the camera’s presence. Only authorized individuals and law enforcement can view the footage, and consent can be withdrawn at any time.
A camera can show an unanswered call light, a resident left in the same position for hours, a fall no one saw, or rough handling during care. These are the moments that nursing homes tend to leave out in the resident’s chart.
Before installing a camera in an Ohio facility, ensure the resident, guardian, or healthcare POA signs the facility’s form. Mount the device in a fixed position aimed at the bed and doorway, keeping roommate conditions in mind. Use a camera with timestamps and cloud storage and download any crucial footage immediately. Finally, do not hide the camera, as covert recording can violate Ohio’s wiretap statute.
Does Esther’s Law Apply to Assisted Living and Memory Care Facilities?
The scope of Esther’s Law is currently limited to “long-term care” facilities defined as nursing homes and skilled nursing facilities and currently does not extend to assisted-living accommodations that do not meet the “long-term care facility” classification in Ohio Revised Code 3721.01. This narrow definition creates a gap in care for those who reside in assisted living and memory care facilities.
However, Ohio lawmakers are considering a bill that would expand the use of cameras into the private rooms of assisted living and residential care facility residents. Under current law, nearly 60,000 Ohioans who live in residential care facilities, who rely on staff and deserve the same protections as those in nursing home facilities, are excluded from the protections afforded by Esther’s Law to nursing homes residents. SB 154, which is currently moving through the legislative branch, would expand Esther’s Law and give those in assisted living and memory care facilities the same protections which nursing home residents currently enjoy.
If your loved one is moving into assisted living or memory care:
- Ask, in writing and before move-in, whether you can install a camera.
- Read the residency agreement for any language about recording devices.
- If the answer is no, ask why and for a detailed written statement as to the reason for denial.
Are Cameras Permitted in Northern Kentucky Facilities?
Currently, Kentucky has no law which permits families to place cameras in the rooms of nursing home residents. A 2026 bill, House Bill 491, would have required nursing homes to allow families to install video and audio equipment in residents’ rooms. However, after being sent to the House Health Services Committee in February 2026, the bill never moved and ultimately was never enacted. As a result, in Kentucky, the policy of the nursing home facility controls when it comes to camera installation. Therefore, many nursing homes ban cameras due to state and federal privacy standards that protect residents, visitors, and staff.
What Do I Do if I Suspect Abuse?
If you suspect neglect, immediately save all footage, photos, and staff names, then report the concerns to the Ohio Department of Health and the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman. Additionally, contact a lawyer quickly, as both Ohio and Kentucky enforce a strict one-year deadline to file nursing home injury claims.